Since yesterday, September 16, controls have been introduced at all land borders of the FRG. These measures are being taken to reduce the number of unauthorized entries – against the backdrop of increasingly frequent armed attacks throughout Germany. After all, the criminals often turn out to be illegal immigrants who have no right to be in the country at all.
Poland is a destination used by Ukrainians to travel home. However, there are currently no signs that controls will be tightened here – they have already been introduced.
Fixed checkpoints at the three main border crossings with Poland have been in operation since October 2023. These are the checkpoints in Forst on the A15, on the A12 near Frankfurt (Oder) and on the Frankfurt City Bridge in Słubice. In addition, the police recently carried out checks on the Europa Bridge in Neurudnitz.
So, refusal of entry at the Polish border is nothing new. Those who are already banned from entering Germany are more often turned away. And also those who do not submit an application for asylum or are already registered in Poland as a refugee.
Not every vehicle is checked at the border now – this will probably continue to be the case. Checks of passenger cars are quite selective, and minibuses and small trucks are more likely to attract the attention of law enforcement officers.
Border controls cause congestion and disruptions to traffic. In recent months, delays of several hours have occasionally been observed on the way back from Poland, especially in Słubice, the Polish satellite of Frankfurt (Oder). The traffic jams here can sometimes reach several kilometers.
The police cannot yet answer the question of the effectiveness of the stationary border control with Poland. They say that there are no figures for the year yet, and the consequences of the restrictions are also unclear – for example, new “bypass” migration routes have appeared.
However, according to the Federal Police Office of Berlin, the number of unauthorized entries detected in the first half of 2024 was about the same as in the same period last year. Namely, more than 6.5 thousand. At the same time, about a third of the people who entered Germany illegally during this period were Ukrainians. About 850 were Afghans and about 800 Syrians.
In total, after the restoration of permanent control on the border with Poland, more than 8.2 thousand people who had illegally entered Germany were discovered, of which 4.6 thousand were returned back.
By law, people who are rejected at the border are handed over to the Polish police. They are then taken to the general border center in Świeczko. If their identity is unknown or appears “suspicious,” they are sent to a closed facility to wait until the Polish state decides whether they should be deported or if they can hope for asylum.
Migrants who are not under suspicion can move freely around the country – with the obligation to show up for inspection once a week. However, due to the lack of personnel in the relevant services (part of the personnel has been redeployed to the Polish-Belarusian border), some of these asylum seekers “disappear” from their sight, Polish law enforcement officials admit.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.