Germany Increases Border Patrols in Response to Immigration Crisis

Germany Expands Border Patrols Amid Rising Political Pressure

The German government announced on Monday a significant expansion of its border patrols as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat illegal crossings. This decision follows a tragic series of events in which four individuals lost their lives in two separate attacks carried out by rejected asylum seekers earlier this year. The rise of anti-immigrant parties, which have gained considerable traction in recent state elections, has further intensified the urgency of addressing immigration issues.

Nancy Faeser, the country’s interior minister, emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing domestic security during a press conference in Berlin. She stated, “We are strengthening our domestic security through concrete action and we are continuing to pursue a hard line against irregular migration.”

This initiative comes in response to mounting political pressure, not only from the far-right factions—who garnered nearly a third of the votes in two recent state elections—but also from mainstream conservative opposition parties. There is a pervasive sentiment among the public that the current administration has lost control over the immigration situation.

Starting next Monday, federal police will implement additional patrols along Germany’s borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark. This initiative will be in effect for a minimum of six months. Meanwhile, enhanced patrols at the southern and eastern borders, specifically with Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland, have been ongoing since at least last year. Notably, all these countries are part of Europe’s Schengen area, which traditionally allows for free movement across borders without the need for stops.

The intensified border patrols will include measures such as selective traffic stops and thorough passport checks on cross-border trains. The government has reported that, since the implementation of patrols at the southern and eastern borders, approximately 30,000 individuals have been turned away.

This recent announcement marks a notable departure from former Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s 2015 policy, which welcomed over a million refugees, predominantly from Syria and Afghanistan, into the country. Additionally, it reflects a shift in the current government’s stance, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has facilitated the entry of around 1.2 million Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.