Germany reinstated border checks at all its borders with the neighbouring Schengen countries in September 2024 in an effort to fight irregular migration and cross-border crime. This decision was not welcomed by all member states, but Germany has continued to keep strict controls in place.

Border Controls Are Effective & Still Necessary, Interior Minister Says

Announcing that she had ordered the extension of temporary internal border controls at all German land borders beyond March 15, the German Minister of Interior, Nancy Faeser, said that the checks have proven to be effective and that they are still necessary.

Moreover, Minister Faeser stressed that the measure has helped the country control irregular migration and prevent people smugglers from carrying out illegal activities. The same said that the border measure that Germany has in place is in line with the EU law.

In addition, the authorities explained that the controls will be carried out in a targeted manner, assuring that travel and commuter traffic will be affected as little as possible. Nonetheless, occasional traffic disruptions have not been completely ruled out.

Large Number of Irregular Entries Detected Since Introduction of Border Controls

Data from the German Ministry of Interior show that since the introduction of internal border controls on September 16, a large number of irregular entries have been detected. As revealed, so far, the German Federal Police have detected around 80,000 irregular entries.

During the same 5-month period, the German police arrested 1,900 people smugglers and denied entry to the country to around 47,000 people who failed to present a valid travel document, visa, or residence permit.