Germany reports 8,500 illegal entries via border controls

Since the reintroduction of border controls approximately two years ago, the German Federal Police have recorded over 8,500 illegal entries into the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

According to data from the Federal Police Inspection in Trier, approximately 5,300 individuals entered from France, nearly 2,700 from Luxembourg, and around 550 from Belgium. In response, authorities have turned back nearly 4,000 people to France, 1,800 to Luxembourg, and 335 to Belgium as of late September.

Law enforcement actions related to these controls include the provisional arrest of 277 suspected human smugglers and the apprehension of 1,077 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.

The controls, ordered by the Federal Ministry of the Interior to curb unauthorized entries, have been repeatedly extended and are currently scheduled to remain in place until mid-March 2027. The measures have faced criticism, particularly regarding the border with Luxembourg, where more than 50,000 German commuters work daily.