German border control and migration enforcement

German border authorities have intensified efforts to intercept unauthorized entries through various checkpoints and regional borders. Initial reports highlighted specific incidents at Memmingen Airport and near Lindau, where travelers from Serbia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Kosovo were denied entry due to invalid documentation, expired visas, or existing entry bans.

Data from the Federal Police Inspection in Trier indicates that since the reintroduction of controls approximately two years ago, over 8,500 illegal entries have been recorded in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. The majority of these entries occurred via France (approximately 5,300), Luxembourg (nearly 2,700), and Belgium (around 550). In response, authorities have turned back nearly 4,000 people to France, 1,800 to Luxembourg, and 335 to Belgium as of late September.

In Bavaria, authorities report a significant decrease in unauthorized entries. Between the start of 2026 and the end of September, 6,154 unauthorized entries were recorded, a decline of nearly 50 percent compared to the 10,989 entries recorded during the same period in 2025. This follows a consistent downward trend from 2023, when entries exceeded 34,000.

Law enforcement actions associated with these measures include the provisional arrest of 277 suspected human smugglers and the apprehension of 1,077 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has extended these controls, which are currently scheduled to remain in place until mid-March 2027, despite criticism regarding their impact on the more than 50,000 German commuters working daily near the Luxembourg border.