BERLIN — Germany will extend its temporary border controls beyond the current September 15 deadline, intensifying efforts to curb irregular immigration, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced Thursday.
In an interview with Table Today, Dobrindt also revealed that deportations of rejected asylum seekers with criminal records will increase — including to volatile nations like Afghanistan and Syria, despite widespread international concern over human rights in both countries.
A Key Policy in Merz’s Conservative Agenda
The move is part of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s broader strategy to stem rising support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which scored a record 20% in February’s elections after several high-profile violent incidents involving foreign nationals stirred public concern.
“We will continue to maintain the border controls,” said Dobrindt, referencing the policy first implemented under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz and most recently extended in March. The current government tightened these controls further in May, raising the number of daily deployed border police from 11,000 to 14,000.
EU Framework and Rejection at Borders
Under Schengen rules, EU countries can temporarily reinstate internal border checks for up to two years in response to serious threats, including mass irregular migration. Germany, according to Dobrindt, is working in alignment with European partners until the EU’s external border protections become fully functional.
Between May 8 and July 31, German authorities turned back 9,254 individuals at its borders. The top countries of origin were:
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Afghanistan
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Algeria
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Eritrea
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Somalia
The French-German border saw the most rejections during that period (over 2,000), followed by the borders with Poland, Switzerland, and Austria.
Controversial Deportations to Crisis Zones
Germany has already twice deported migrants with convictions to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, with the most recent operation sending 81 individuals back last month — a decision Dobrindt insists must not remain a one-off.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the move, citing a “catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, where reports of torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings remain widespread.
Dobrindt added that Berlin is actively working on restarting deportation flights to Syria, where civil conflict continues despite the December ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
Growing Domestic and International Backlash
While the Merz government argues that these measures are essential to preserve domestic security and public confidence, critics accuse the administration of undermining humanitarian obligations and violating international norms.
“This may appeal to voters worried about migration, but it risks trampling over human rights in the process,” said a spokesperson from a prominent rights group.
As Germany tightens its borders, the debate over immigration, asylum, and the limits of national policy within the EU framework is set to intensify — with Europe watching closely.
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