Expense on border control amounts to EUR 80.5 million
Germany Extends Enhanced Border Controls Beyond Original Deadline
Germany has extended its enhanced border controls at land borders, initially scheduled to end in September 2025, beyond the original deadline as part of a comprehensive crackdown on irregular migration and national security concerns. This move, initiated in May 2024 under the conservative coalition government led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, includes internal passport checks and the refusal of entry to most asylum seekers without proper documentation.
The extended controls aim to maintain tighter security until the European Union’s external border system is fully operational and to address ongoing threats such as terrorism and large-scale illegal migration. These extensions also align with similar actions taken by neighboring countries like Poland, reflecting a regional shift towards stricter border enforcement within the Schengen area.
According to reports, the costs for the deployment of the Federal Police at the internal borders ranged between 24 and 29.1 million euros per quarter. From mid-September 2024 to the end of June 2025, a total of 80.5 million euros was spent on border controls in Germany. This includes expenditures on overtime pay, which accounted for an additional 37.9 million euros, operation of border stations (around 2 million euros), leadership and deployment means (2.6 million euros twice), and allowances for "duty at unfavourable times" (around 3 million euros). Furthermore, from April to the end of June 2025, the federal government spent approximately 8 million euros on the catering of officials and accommodation in hotels.
The extension of border controls has been met with criticism from some political quarters. Clara Bünger, the interior expert of the Left Party, described the federal government's approach as an "illegal border-closed policy". She also highlighted the difficulties faced by asylum seekers, traffic chaos in border regions, burden on border commuters, and enormous costs associated with the controls.
Despite these criticisms, Alexander Hoffmann, the chairman of the CSU parliamentary group, defended the effort for the controls and thanked the federal police for their commitment. He stated that the costs for the border controls are "absolutely justified" and that the CSU will continue these controls and turnaways at the borders until the European asylum system and external border protection work effectively.
Between 8 May and 4 August, a total of 493 people were turned back at Germany’s land borders despite having applied for asylum. The government has further tightened migration rules by planning increased deportations, particularly targeting rejected asylum seekers with criminal records from countries like Afghanistan and Syria, despite international human rights concerns. Additionally, Germany has suspended its refugee resettlement program and expanded the list of “safe countries of origin” to reduce asylum approvals from certain nations.
[1] The Local [2] Deutsche Welle [3] BBC News [4] Reuters [5] Spiegel Online
- In response to the extended border controls, controversy has arisen in German politics, with some, like Clara Bünger from the Left Party, criticizing the policy as an "illegal border-closed policy" due to associated challenges, such as cost burden and difficulties faced by asylum seekers.
- Meanwhile, Alexander Hoffmann, the chairman of the CSU parliamentary group, has defended the border controls, asserting that the costs associated with them are "absolutely justified" and expressing gratitude towards the federal police for their commitment.
- Beyond border control negotiations, Germany has also been involved in discussions regarding finance and business within the European Union. In light of the ongoing external border system implementation, this move towards stricter border enforcement correlates with the broader general-news agenda surrounding national security, politics, and crime-and-justice concerns.
