Germany is set to intensify border controls in collaboration with Poland and the Czech Republic to curb illegal immigration, announced German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on September 27. She emphasized the need for additional measures to safeguard the European Union's open border system.
Faeser pointed out that a quarter of all illegal immigrants enter Germany through human smuggling, so the new measures will particularly target those involved in such activities.
Public records reveal that by the end of July this year, the German government had received 175,000 initial asylum applications, marking a 78% increase compared to the same period last year. Including subsequent applications, the number exceeds 189,000.
Subsequent applications are primarily from those whose initial requests were denied. The Berlin-based Die Welt newspaper reported that most of those rejected still remain in Germany, exacerbating the immigration crisis.
Alexander Strom, the EU domestic policy spokesperson for the German Bundestag from the Christian Democratic Union, projected that the number of asylum applications could reach 400,000 this year if the situation continues unchecked.
According to a report by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in 2022, 183,571 individuals entered EU countries illegally via land, a 110% increase from the previous year. Illegal sea entries stood at 147,982, marking a 31% rise.
Further data from the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) indicates that asylum applications in the first half of 2023 surged to 519,000, a 28% increase from the first half of 2022, after a 53% year-on-year increase in 2022. Germany, France, Spain, and Italy accounted for two-thirds of these applications among the 27 EU member states.
Clearly, a significant portion of European asylum applications come from illegal entrants, and this number continues to rise.
Frontex's risk report identifies seven primary illegal entry routes, including the West African route, Western Mediterranean route, Central Mediterranean route, Western Balkan route, Eastern Mediterranean route, Eastern Border route, and the Strait route.
This month, thousands landed on Italy's Lampedusa Island, located in the Mediterranean region between Tunisia, Malta, and Sicily, Italy. It serves as the first point of entry for many immigrants heading to EU countries.
Matteo Villa, an immigration data analyst at the Milan-based ISPI think tank, stated that in the past three months, 90% of the immigrants came from the nearby African nation of Tunisia, placing immense pressure on Lampedusa.
Polsat News reported on September 26 that Piotr Muller, a spokesperson for the Polish government, expressed concerns about illegal immigrants from Lampedusa flooding into Poland.
In response, Poland is stepping up checks on personnel and vehicles at its borders. The Czech Republic has also increased inspections on highways leading to Germany.
The influx of thousands of immigrants from Tunisia undoubtedly places immense strain on EU countries, especially Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, which receive the highest number of asylum applications.
For Germany, with state elections looming, parties must take action to secure more votes.
On October 8, state elections will be held in Hesse and Bavaria. Faeser, from the Social Democratic Party, will also run for the position of Hesse's state premier.
Previously, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party capitalized on the current anti-immigrant sentiment among Germans. According to a public opinion poll released by the public broadcaster ARD in June, the AfD had an 18% voter approval rating, on par with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party.
Clearly, the Social Democratic Party faces pressure from the AfD. They must take measures to address the surge in immigrants to regain voter trust.
