Immigration: German authorities refuse to receive immigrants in Switzerland

Germany faces increasing numbers of immigrants. This year, more than 92,000 people have already registered Crossing the border illegally He wanted to flee to Germany. The federal government is under pressure to take effective countermeasures. Federal Minister Nancy Weisser ordered the resumption of fixed identity checks at the borders with Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland. This has been the case since October 16, 2023.

New point of contact

The organization “Welt am Sonntag” accompanied police officers during patrols from the Badischer Bahnhof in Basel. There they board the train to Hamburg and keep an eye out for suspicious people.

The newspaper reported that the border with Switzerland has become a new hotspot for migration in addition to the eastern border. “The goal is to prevent unauthorized access before it happens.” According to the Federal Police, this has already happened more than 7,000 times in Badischer Bahnhof this year.

Why are German authorities allowed to search Switzerland?

The fact that the Federal Police are also allowed to conduct searches on Swiss territory dates back to one such search that took place in the 1960s. The signed agreement Checks are allowed in some areas. If German officials arrest immigrants in this country, they can refuse them entry into Germany. On the other hand, if they are caught at the border, they must be let in.

What happens after the examination?

After a thorough examination in an office, the so-called “processing line”, the people who have been stopped are released and returned to the station. It is unclear what the Swiss authorities will do next. There is no report from the German side about attempted unauthorized entry, and there is no ban on returning to Germany.

“According to current legal opinion, the criminal offense of attempted unauthorized entry has not yet been met as long as those affected are on Swiss territory,” explains Katharina Kessler, spokeswoman for the Weil am Rhein police station. “A return ban will not be imposed because people have not They will not enter the country yet.”

This approach, a lack of police personnel, and the many train and tram lines to Germany mean that some migrants are still able to cross the border repeatedly. According to Alexander Thrum, the Union faction’s domestic policy spokesman, the controls on Swiss territory will have a “certain deterrent” effect.