Consequence of border controls?
BAMF recorded significantly fewer asylum applications in March
April 8, 2024, 7:35 p.m
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The number of asylum applications in Germany has been falling continuously since the beginning of the year. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser sees this as a testament to the success of the border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland introduced in October 2023. Most of the applicants come from Syria.
The number of asylum applications in Germany fell again significantly in March. After the number of initial applications had already fallen to its lowest level in more than a year in February, it fell again by around 3,000 to 16,430 in March, as shown Figures from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) emerges.
The decline is mainly due to the lower number of asylum seekers from Syria and Turkey. According to the figures, only 4,846 Syrians applied for asylum in March. In February there were 5,960 and in January 7,543.
Nevertheless, Syria remained the most common country of origin for first-time applicants in March. This was followed by Afghanistan with 2,811 after 3,002 in February and 3,479 in January and Turkey. 1,885 people came from the country with initial applications, around 1,000 fewer than in February and 3,000 fewer than in January.
Increased border controls since October 2023
“From January to March we had almost a fifth fewer asylum applications than in the same period last year. This shows that our actions are working,” emphasized Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. “We continue to protect many people from war and terror and at the same time effectively limit the number of those who do not need our protection.”
In response to the sharp increase in the number of refugees, Faeser introduced the border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland that are still in effect today in mid-October 2023. The monthly number of initial applications has fallen sharply since November. “Thanks to our temporary border controls, 17,600 unauthorized entries have been prevented since October. The federal police have since arrested more than 700 smugglers through these controls, thereby destroying their brutal business of people’s need,” explained Faeser. “We will continue border controls for as long as necessary to effectively limit irregular migration in the long term.”