Boofing smugglers: border controls have an effect in BW!

Boofing smugglers: border controls have an effect in BW!

The increasing numbers of unauthorized entry and the increasing arrests of smugglers at the German external borders are currently dominating the discussions about asylum and migration policy in Germany. According to a report of the FAZ , the intensification of the external boundary checks in Baden-Württemberg has led to a high number of arrests. On the Swiss border alone, a maximum value was reached in 2022 with 146 arrested smugglers. 60 smugglers have also been caught on the border with France in recent months.

A total of 552 Schleuser were arrested in Baden-Württemberg from 2021 to March 2025. These often act unscrupulously and blackmail high sums of refugees while bringing them to Germany under inhumane conditions. Increased surveillance by the federal police is currently being carried out at the borders, which has been intensified on the border with Switzerland since autumn 2023 and France for a year.

Current numbers and trends

In addition to the smuggling of the smugglers, systematic controls have been introduced at all German national borders since September 2024. These measures have already shown the first results: 22.243 Unauthorized entry in the 140 days since the start of the controls and 13,786 people without papers were rejected or backed, such as Tagesschau reported.

In January 2025, the number of unauthorized entry fell to 5,147, compared to previous years this is a noticeable decline. Overall, the number of unauthorized entry in 2024 was 83,572, which is significantly less compared to the 127,549 entry in 2023.

political reactions and measures

The political reactions to the situation are diverse. Alexander Dobrindt, who was recently appointed the new Federal Minister of the Interior, has announced increased controls at the external borders. The staff at the borders are increased from 11,000 to up to 14,000 federal police officers. Dobrindt has also announced the rejections of migrants in asylum cases, which is a drastic turn in asylum policy. This change could also complicate the coordination with neighboring countries, as stipulated in the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, as this cooperation is currently being implemented, such as Süddeutsche writes.

While Dobrindt and other politicians praise the increased controls, there are also critics such as Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who emphasizes that border controls should primarily apply to the external borders of the EU. These controversy are reflected not only in politics, but also in everyday life of the citizens. Kehl's mayor Wolfram Britz and his counterpart Jeanne Barseghian have complained about the impairment of life in the Franco-German metropolitan area. Sales figures in local retail show a decline to customers who come from Strasbourg.