Germany has tightened border controls to curb illegal immigration amid growing concerns about extremism across Europe.
“As the United States experiences issues under a liberal administration, the world is learning that lenient crime policies can lead to increased crime and terrorism,” said Taylor Rogers, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC).
The number of “irregular migrants” entering Europe has dropped by 36% this year, according to Frontex, the European Union’s border agency. However, concerns about the impact of immigration remain a major issue for the EU.
The EU has signed migration agreements with Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon, and has also finalized a “Pact on Migration and Asylum” in the summer.
Germany has taken a controversial step by empowering authorities to reject migrants at its borders. These new measures, which will be implemented for a six-month trial period starting on September 16, have been met with criticism due to the free movement of people within the EU.
“We are strengthening internal security and taking a hard line against irregular migration,” said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.
Germany has experienced a significant influx of migrants from conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa. German authorities have attributed small increases in crime to this increased migration. Foreigners committed about 41% of crimes in Germany in 2023, while making up 15% of the population.
This issue has contributed to the success of a far-right party in a recent state election, the first such victory for the party in decades. This election came just days after a Syrian immigrant killed three people in a stabbing spree, with ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack.
Similar attacks by Islamist extremists across Europe have fueled anxieties about immigration and led to strong wins for right-wing parties in several countries.
Germany has taken in over a million people fleeing countries like Syria during the 2015/16 migrant crisis.
However, these new border control measures could shift the burden of immigration onto Germany’s neighbors, due to the free movement within the EU.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told German outlet Bild that Austria has “no room for maneuver” to accept migrants rejected at the German border. Germany shares borders with Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Reuters contributed to this report.