UN refugees' bodies warn Germany of stricter border controls

UNHCR expressed concern about Germany's decision to tighten border controls and reject asylum seekers on the country's borders.

UNHCR representative in Germany Katharina Thote told the DPA the agency was concerned that the government would stop accepting asylum applications at the border.

She noted that Germany has been a major partner of UNHCR for decades and remains a major asylum country in Europe.

Under the order of newly appointed Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt last Wednesday, stricter border controls have been introduced, with exemptions applicable to vulnerable groups, including women with heavy pregnant women, women with young children and people with severe illness.

After taking office, the Prime Minister of the Conservative-led government, Friedrich Merz, promised to maintain temporary border checks and reject illegal immigrants at the border, even if they applied for asylum.

Thote said international law does not force refugees to apply for asylum in the first country they arrive. In some cases, it can be sent to other safe countries – as long as their rights are protected and helps to share responsibilities fairly among countries.

However, she warned and called on Germany to uphold the existing EU agreement to manage asylum claims and called on Germany to maintain the existing EU agreement, thus undermining the principle of fair distribution for all asylum seekers.

In Germany, it is not new to people who refuse to have valid visas at the border. However, so far, these measures have been primarily applied to people who have not applied for asylum or have been previously banned from entering the country, such as after deportation.

A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry said it was too early to assess the full impact of the policy. For the first time since January, 45,681 people have applied for asylum in Germany, down from 84,984 in the same period last year, marking a 46% decrease.