The newly appointed Federal Ministry of the Chancellor’s Office, Thorsten Frei (CDU), has announced that the new federal government, comprising CDU, CSU and SPD, plans to send additional Federal Police to the German borders. “We will intensify border controls and refuse entry to those who do not have the right to enter Germany” Frei said in an interview with “Spiegel.” Strengthening the Federal Police at the borders is a crucial point. “It will have a short-term effect.”
In the long term, Europe needs to take a new approach to regulate migration for the continent as a whole, “so that we can meet our humanitarian responsibilities and at the same time prevent overburdening our societies.” Frei expressed his support for revising the EU-agreed reform of the Common European Asylum System, as other European countries also want.
The new federal government will advocate for “working together with our European partners to conduct asylum procedures outside the EU, for example in African countries that are classified as safe third countries.” Additionally, “opportunities for easier repatriation to third countries outside the EU” must be created.
Regarding the individual cases of the Ampel government’s admission programs, Frei announced individual case reviews. Currently, about 2,600 people from Afghanistan with admission offers are waiting for decisions in their visa procedures. “Certain promises can also be revoked under our legal order if the prerequisites are met” said Frei. “That is why we will have to examine all individual cases to be able to assess them.” The new federal government will do “what is legally possible and necessary, but nothing beyond that.”
Most asylum seekers who come to Germany initially count as “illegally entered” because they cannot submit asylum applications before their entry. However, in Germany, they can exercise the right to asylum or the guarantees of the Geneva Refugee Convention and legally submit an asylum application. If the applications are approved, the refugees are considered to be staying legally.