Germany reintroduces immigration checks at all borders

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German police officer checks the details of the driver of a car near the border to Belgium in Aachen, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, as Germany begins carrying out checks at all its land borders. The Associated Press/Photo by Martin Meissner

Germany reintroduces immigration checks at all borders

German officials on Monday began conducting random checks at its borders with France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark. The increased security measures are slated to last for six months and are intended to help the country crack down on unauthorized migration and cross-border crime. Germany already conducts checks at its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland.

How have international leaders responded? Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has criticized the change and Greece and Austria have said they would not accept migrants rejected by Germany. The European Union allows member states to temporarily reintroduce border controls for internal borders, but only as a last resort in the event of a threat to internal security.

Dig deeper: Read Timon Cline’s opinion piece about international immigration issues.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.