Germany’s new conservative government has started a strict campaign to stop irregular migration. It has increased border checks and sent thousands more police officers to patrol.

Officials point to the drop in illegal crossings as a sign that the plan is working, but the action has caused political debate in Germany and strained relations with nearby countries, especially Poland.

Border patrols expand as policy tightens

Germany has tightened immigration rules under Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s new coalition government.

The parties in charge—Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU), the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Social Democrats (SPD)—have made border security a key priority.

By mid-May, the number of border officers grew from 11,000 to 14,000. Police now use drones, heat-sensing cameras, and helicopters to spot people trying to cross the border illegally.

In just one week, officers stopped 739 crossing attempts—a 45% jump from the week before.

The government’s message is firm: asylum-seekers will be turned away unless they fall under a “vulnerable” group, like pregnant women or children.

Irregular migration plummets as new policy launches

Even before the new rules, irregular migration was already dropping. In early 2025, police recorded just over 22,000 illegal entries—down from 83,572 in 2024 and 127,549 in 2023.

Dobrindt said that the new border controls had an immediate impact. “The new border checks are working,” he told reporters.

Many CDU voters support the changes. A YouGov poll for Süddeutsche Zeitung found that 68% of them believe the controls will cut down irregular migration.

However, most supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) disagree. In the same poll, 63% said the measures won’t help.

AfD lawmaker Gottfried Curio said that the steps don’t go far enough and called for mass deportations instead.

A break from Merkel’s legacy

Germany’s current policy is a clear break from Angela Merkel’s open-door stance in 2015, when the country took in over 1 million refugees. “We can do this,” she said at the time.

Now, Merz wants to cap asylum applications at 100,000 a year, but in 2024, Germany received 229,751 first-time applications—well above that limit.

Dobrindt no longer talks about compassion. Instead, he focuses on “order,” saying at the border that Germany should now prioritize structure over emotion.

Legal pushback gathers momentum

Many disagree with the plan, questioning both its legality and fairness. Germany’s Left Party warned that it could lead to “a spiral of deprivation of rights and isolation.”

Green lawmakers in the Bundestag said that the rules put too much pressure on the police. Green MP Konstantin von Notz said, “In three weeks at the latest, the massive strain on personnel will effectively end these measures.”

The European Greens were even more critical. MEP Erik Marquardt warned that officers could face legal consequences for enforcing the rules, calling the policy “an immigration drama without legal footing.”

Despite this, police unions supported the move. Manuel Ostermann, deputy head of the German Police Union, said that the controls helped secure the borders and reduced stress on law enforcement inside the country.

Neighbors push back, too

However, the tension isn’t just inside Germany. Poland’s President Donald Tusk firmly rejected any idea of moving refugees east.

“The AfD, that’s your problem, Mr. Chancellor,” he told Merz, making it clear that Poland won’t deal with Germany’s political issues.

The renewed border checks have also frustrated regular travelers and cross-border commuters.

Ryszard Noryskiewicz, a Polish-born Berliner who often drives between Berlin and Warsaw, put it plainly: “The Germans are going to do what they do.” For people like him, the delays feel like a return to the days before the Schengen zone, when crossing borders wasn’t so easy.

Policy or politics?

The government insisted that the policy is about protecting borders and managing immigration, but the timing points to other reasons.

The CDU made this shift as support for the far-right grows. What used to be a fringe issue—border security—is now a key topic in mainstream politics. Merz is betting on immigration reform to win back voters from the AfD.

Still, despite the attention and increased patrols, one big question remains: will this plan lead to real change, or just a quick fix?

A new layer of friction for travelers, migrants

Germany’s increased border patrols and stricter entry rules for most asylum-seekers—even those seeking protection—make travel harder for both short- and long-term visitors.

Tourists with valid documents may not be affected right away, but the tighter checks signal a move away from the Schengen zone’s open-border approach.

These changes also point to tougher enforcement of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), the European Union’s (EU) upcoming travel permit system, and stricter visa checks.

For migrants—especially those without legal status—the message is clear: Germany no longer assumes humanitarian entry, creating more uncertainty around asylum and travel through the country.

Control over consensus

Germany’s decision to tighten border controls on its own reflects a shift in EU immigration policy—one shaped more by national politics than by joint European decisions.

The Merz government’s focus on “order” and limits on asylum challenges earlier promises of solidarity and shared responsibility.

Pushback from countries like Poland and legal concerns from EU Greens show growing tension within the bloc.

These changes could speed up the breakdown of Schengen cooperation, as more EU countries choose to enforce their own rules instead of working together, weakening the EU’s common approach to migration and asylum.

Borders redrawn, debate rekindled

Germany’s renewed effort to stop irregular migration has quickly reduced border crossings, but it has also strained relations with neighboring countries and reopened EU debates on asylum policy.

As drones watch the Alpine border and other EU members express frustration, Berlin’s promise to balance “humanity and order” faces serious challenges, both ethical and diplomatic.

Whether this approach lasts or leaves Germany isolated is a question that could shape the future of European unity.