Germany is part of the Schengen zone, which means open borders between the affiliated European countries. Following the neighboring country, the Netherlands has also introduced border controls. The reinforced border controls in Germany would last until 15 September, but Minister Dobrindt announces in the podcast that they will be continued afterwards.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, 9,254 people were banned on the border between 8 May and 31 July. Most of them came from Afghanistan, followed by Algeria, Eritrea and Somalia. At Frans-German border crossings, most migrants have been returned: more than 2,000. In the meantime, 14,000 German agents are involved in border controls every day. There were 11,000.
The German minister also said in the podcast that his country will continue with the return of people to Afghanistan. In July, a flight with 81 criminal Afghans left after coordination with the rulers in Afghanistan, the Taliban. According to Dobrindt, it is “absolutely necessary” that people who “cannot and should not be here” return to their country of origin.
Germany will also be in consultation with Syria about the return of Syrians. Since the outbreak of the civil war in that country, many thousands of inhabitants moved to Germany.