The decline of Germany's attractiveness to migrants in Europe
Alexander Throm, the spokesperson for internal affairs of the Union faction in the German parliament, announced that tightening border controls and deportation procedures have begun to show tangible results. He stated in a statement to the Funke media group: "We are now witnessing the impact of these measures, and the presence of more federal police officers sends a clear message: Germany is no longer the primary magnet for immigration in Europe."
Trump added that this crucial message in immigration policy has been demanded by Germany's European partners for years, noting that border cooperation is running smoothly for the most part.
In contrast, Lars Castelucci, an expert on internal affairs from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), warned of the risks associated with this approach, stating that uncoordinated deportations, even for asylum seekers, could lead some European countries to abandon the common path of reforming asylum policy and resort to national measures. He emphasized that success in managing the migration file can only be achieved through cooperation with neighboring countries, while continuing to support the goal of reducing "irregular migration," but through joint coordination with neighboring states.
For her part, Katarina Barley, Vice President of the European Parliament and member of the SPD, criticized the new measures, pointing out that deportations and border controls face strong rejection in Brussels. She explained in a statement to BR television that these measures harm the idea of the Schengen Area, which is considered one of Europe's greatest achievements, warning against creating false hopes for citizens that cannot be fulfilled.
Barley considered the current results to be "extremely limited," calling instead for the adoption of the "Schleierfahndung" method, which allows for secret and unannounced inspections.
In this context, Alexander Dobrindt, the Minister of the Interior from the CSU party, issued an order to intensify border control operations, including the return of asylum seekers, immediately upon taking office, in implementation of the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, which requires coordination with European partners.
At the same time, the Police Union (GdP) called for a strict timeline for these intensive measures, as its president Andreas Roßkopf stated that their continuation for more than a few weeks is not possible. He explained that the current situation is managed only by reorganizing schedules, freezing training programs, and halting the reduction of overtime hours.
Roskobov confirmed that more than 1,000 emergency police officers are currently working in border areas, emphasizing the union's support for the government's attempts to curb irregular migration using these measures.