A police representative says law enforcement is struggling under the new regulations.
Germany’s police union is cautioning that the country’s recently implemented stricter border controls are sustainable for only “a few more weeks” due to the growing strain on officers responsible for enforcing them.
This warning follows the government’s introduction of enhanced border security measures two weeks prior, aimed at reducing the influx of asylum seekers.
Andreas Rosskopf, who chairs the Federal Police and Customs division within the German Police Union, stated, ”We can only manage this because duty rosters have been adjusted, training for the units is currently on hold, and the reduction of overtime has been halted.” He cautioned that these border controls are viable for only “for a few more weeks.”
These measures mark a significant change in Germany’s approach to migration and deliver on a key campaign promise made by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who pledged to tighten immigration laws.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s May 7 order prohibits asylum applications at all land borders, reversing the open-border policy enacted by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2015. Exceptions are in place for vulnerable individuals, including children and pregnant women. The border patrol is being reinforced with an additional 3,000 officers, supplementing the existing 11,000.
The 2015 policy shaped Germany’s response to refugees but also faced considerable political opposition, with critics denouncing it as “disastrous.”
Dobrindt announced a week after the implementation of the new measures that the number of rejected applications had increased by almost 50%. However, Der Spiegel reports that the number of asylum applications remained relatively consistent in the week following May 7.
As the EU’s largest economy, Germany has been the preferred destination for asylum seekers. Official statistics indicate that foreigners currently account for 17% of the country’s population.
Migration continues to be a contentious issue, with local authorities frequently expressing concerns that the number of asylum seekers is putting a strain on their financial resources.
The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its strong stance against immigration, was recently designated a “confirmed extremist entity” by the domestic intelligence agency (BfV), which argued that its activities could pose a threat to Germany’s democratic order. This designation was subsequently suspended following legal challenges and public disagreement.
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