Stricter border controls: What the future means for migrants!

Stricter border controls: What the future means for migrants!

The focus is currently on developments at Germany's external borders, particularly with regard to controls between Germany and Poland. Germany has expanded controls at its external borders since autumn 2023. Particular attention is paid to the border region between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice. On July 4, 2025, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that the rejection of three refugees at this border was unlawful. This raises questions about the sustainability and legality of the current border controls that the federal government has ordered to combat irregular migration.

In addition to the existing controls, the Polish government has announced that it will introduce its own, stricter border controls from July 7, 2025. The measures are primarily aimed at limiting the flow of migrants. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized after a cabinet meeting that these decisions will have profound consequences for people's freedom of movement. Stationary checks on people at internal borders in the Schengen area are normally unusual, which is why these new developments are being discussed critically.

Panel discussion on border policy

As part of the debate about border controls, the European University Viadrina Frankfurt is organizing a panel discussion on July 17th at 6:15 p.m. This event is dedicated to the legal, political and humanitarian challenges of border controls. The discussion will take place either in the Viadrina Senate Hall or in the live stream.

The panel guests, including Dr. Marcus Engler and Lea Christinck from the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) as well as Dr. Norbert Cyrus from the Viadrina Center B/ORDERS IN MOTION, will analyze the developments on the German-Polish border with regard to the rule of law and relationships. This includes a review of how effective internal border controls are in reducing irregular entries and smuggling.

The discussion will also shed light on the negative effects on the border region, the protection of refugees and relations between Germany and Poland. The event will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Kira Kosnick, who also works at the Viadrina Center B/ORDERS IN MOTION and is supported by the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) and the Viadrina Institute for European Studies (IFES).

Reactions and political implications

The federal government has expanded border controls, which is causing controversy in the political landscape. Chancellor Friedrich Merz from the CDU confirmed the close exchange with the Polish government and made it clear that there will be no returns to Poland of asylum seekers who have arrived in Germany. In the political discussion, some, such as Sonja Eichwede (SPD), are of the opinion that the controls represent an impairment of freedom of movement in the Schengen area.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) was understanding of the Polish controls. On the other hand, Knut Abraham (CDU), the Federal Government Commissioner for Poland, warned against permanent border controls, as these could have negative effects on freedom of movement across Europe. The Greens also blame Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) for a “domino effect” that was triggered by the stricter migration policy.

The actions taken by governments are not isolated; they are part of a broader EU strategy aimed at improving migration management and securing external borders. In 2015, 1.83 million illegal border crossings were recorded at the EU's external borders, raising awareness of the need for increased border controls. The new Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF), with a budget of 9.88 billion euros, is intended to increase Member States' border management capacities and ensure fundamental rights, especially for vulnerable groups.

With the introduction of checks for travel-free people through the planned European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is expected to be operational by mid-2025, the focus on securing external borders will be further increased. These developments show that the issue of migration and its control remains highly explosive in Europe, which makes the upcoming discussions all the more relevant.