Germany Strengthens Border Controls in Immigration Crackdown – Reuters

By Alexander Ratz and Sarah Marsh

BERLIN – The German government has unveiled plans to implement stricter controls at all land borders in an effort to address irregular migration and enhance public safety against threats like Islamist extremism.

The enhanced controls within the typically free movement area of the European Schengen zone will commence on September 16 and are set to last initially for six months, according to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.

Additionally, the government has developed a framework that allows authorities to directly reject more migrants at the German borders, although Faeser did not provide further details on this contentious and legally complex approach.

These restrictions are part of a broader set of measures Germany has enacted in recent years to adopt a tougher stance on irregular migration, particularly in light of an influx of individuals fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government aims to reclaim the narrative from rising far-right and conservative factions, which have gained traction by addressing voter concerns regarding the strain on public services, integration, and security.

"We are reinforcing internal security and maintaining our stringent approach against irregular migration," Faeser stated, emphasizing that the government had informed the European Commission and neighboring countries about the planned controls.

Recent violent incidents, including knife attacks involving suspects who were asylum seekers, have heightened public anxiety over immigration. Notably, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a knife attack in Solingen that claimed three lives in August.

Earlier this month, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party became the first such party to win a state election since World War II, leveraging migration issues heavily during its campaign in Thuringia.

Current polling indicates that migration remains the primary concern for voters in Brandenburg, where elections will take place in two weeks. Scholz and Faeser’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD) are fighting to maintain control in this critical state, which is being viewed as a litmus test for their strength ahead of the federal elections next year.

Marcus Engler from the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research commented, "The government’s intention appears to be to symbolically convey to both Germans and potential migrants that the latter are no longer welcome here."

A TEST FOR EUROPE

There has been growing discontent in Germany since the country welcomed over a million individuals primarily fleeing war-torn regions like Syria during the 2015-2016 migrant crisis. This unease escalated after Germany granted asylum to approximately one million Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s 2022 invasion amid ongoing energy and economic challenges.

In response, the German government has tightened deportation regulations and resumed the deportation of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes, despite previously halting these deportations after the Taliban regained control in 2021 due to human rights concerns.

In the previous year, Berlin announced stricter border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. These measures, alongside those at the Austrian border, have enabled the return of around 30,000 migrants since October 2023.

Faeser noted that a new approach would allow for more migrants to be turned back, although specifics could not be disclosed before confidential discussions with conservative parties.

These controls may challenge European unity, especially if they lead to Germany requesting neighboring countries to accept a significant number of asylum seekers and migrants.

According to EU regulations, Schengen zone countries are permitted to implement border checks only as a last resort to address threats to internal security or public policy.

Germany shares its lengthy land border with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Austria’s Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, stated that his country would not accept migrants turned away by Germany at the border, asserting, "There’s no room for maneuver there."

While the new measures may not lead to a significant increase in migrants being denied entry at the border immediately, they could pave the way for more returns to other European countries in the future and serve as a deterrent, according to Susan Fratzke from the Migration Policy Institute.

Government figures indicate that asylum applications in Germany have already dropped by 21.7% in the first eight months of the year.