Asger Risom
New Interior Minister announces more rejections and increased frontier patrols amid political shift
Germany is set to intensify border checks beginning Wednesday, one day after the new government officially takes office. The move, spearheaded by incoming Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union (CSU), aims to reduce illegal migration through expanded police presence and more frequent controls at external borders, as reported by Digi24.
Dobrindt emphasized that there would be no formal border closures, but said, “Illegal migration numbers must drop. To balance humanity and order, we need control, clarity, and consistency.” His remarks come amid preparations for both national and EU-level decisions on migration policy.
Police union voices skepticism over staffing feasibility
While temporary increases in federal police deployments are expected, the German Police Union (GdP) warned that such measures may not be sustainable. Andreas Rosskopf, head of the GdP’s federal police and customs division, noted that existing personnel levels could not support a long-term surge at the borders.
Rosskopf also cast doubt on the legal feasibility of denying asylum seekers entry at land borders without prior agreements with neighboring countries like Poland or Austria. “We can’t start a ping-pong game with our neighbors,” he warned, emphasizing the need for legal certainty in any new rejection protocols.
Border controls remain controversial under Schengen rules
Germany’s previous center-left coalition was largely opposed to fixed border controls, which are restricted under Schengen Area rules. Nonetheless, former Interior Minister Nancy Faeser extended long-standing border checks with Austria and temporarily expanded them in 2023 to include Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland, with notice given to the European Commission.
In 2024, asylum applications in Germany dropped to 229,751 — nearly 100,000 fewer than the year before. Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey remain the leading countries of origin. The decline is attributed in part to Serbia effectively sealing its refugee route to Hungary in November 2023.
Under the new CDU/CSU–SPD coalition agreement, the parties committed to conducting border rejections in coordination with European neighbors — though ambiguity remains over whether “coordination” means mere consultation or formal approval.