Since the introduction of stricter border controls in May 2025, German authorities have turned away a total of 24,400 people at the country’s borders, according to the Federal Police. Between May 8 and the end of the year, 33,338 unauthorized entries were recorded, most of which were blocked at the borders. During this period, 1,065 suspected human traffickers were temporarily detained, and 5,906 individuals wanted under arrest warrants were apprehended, the Federal Police reported.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) had ordered the reinforced border controls and rejections at all nine German land borders with neighboring countries on May 7. Vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women were exempt from these measures. Since the measures began, 242 individuals at the borders applied for asylum citing their vulnerable status, the Federal Police added.
Among those turned away, nearly 1,200 were from so-called safe third countries and were prevented from entering, while 1,253 people were subject to re-entry bans for Germany. For the full year 2025, the total number of unauthorized entries recorded at Germany’s land, air, and sea borders was 62,526—the lowest in four years. In comparison, the Federal Police registered 83,572 unauthorized entries in 2024, 127,549 in 2023, 91,986 in 2022, and 57,637 in 2021.
Unauthorized or irregular entries are defined as cases in which individuals do not have valid residence authorization. The black-red federal government took a stricter approach toward irregular migration immediately after taking office.
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