Latest news with #bordercrackdown
Russia Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Germany's border crackdown can only last ‘a few more weeks'
Germany's new border crackdown can only be sustained for 'a few more weeks,' the country's police union has warned, citing mounting pressure on officers tasked with enforcing the policy. The warning comes two weeks after the government introduced stricter border controls to curb the number of asylum seekers entering the country. 'We can only manage this because duty rosters have been adjusted, training for the units is currently on hold, and the reduction of overtime has been halted,' Andreas Rosskopf, chairman of the Federal Police and Customs division of the German Police Union, said. He warned that the controls can only be sustained 'for a few more weeks.' The measures represent a major shift in Germany's migration stance and fulfill a key campaign promise of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who vowed to tighten the immigration laws. The May 7 order from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt bans asylum applications at all land borders, reversing former Chancellor Angela Merkel's 2015 open-border policy. Exceptions are made for children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups. Up to 3,000 officers are being added to the 11,000 already stationed at Germany's borders. The 2015 policy defined Germany's approach to refugees, while also drawing fierce political backlash, with critics calling it 'disastrous.' A week after the measures were announced, Dobrindt claimed that the number of rejections increased by almost a half. However, according to Der Spiegel, the number of asylum applications remained largely stable in the week after May 7. As the EU's largest economy, Germany has been the most popular destination for asylum seekers. According to official statistics, foreigners currently make up 17% of the country's population. Migration remains a polarizing issue, with local authorities often warning that the number of asylum seekers is straining their budgets. The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is known for its strong anti-immigration stance, was designated a 'confirmed extremist entity' earlier this month by the domestic intelligence agency (BfV), which said its activities could threaten Germany's democratic order. The designation was later suspended after legal appeals and public outcry.
Fox News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Federal magistrate judge dismisses trespassing charges against 98 arrested in new military zone
Dozens of immigrants who illegally crossed into the U.S. via a newly established military-controlled zone along the U.S.-Mexico border have had their trespassing charges dismissed. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth began filing the dismissals late on Wednesday, ruling the immigrants did not know they were entering the military zone – known as the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA) – and therefore could not be charged, according to court documents. Wormuth ruled that the federal government failed to demonstrate probable cause that the immigrants knew they were entering the zone. The government had argued in a criminal complaint that the military had posted signs in the zones stating in both English and Spanish that it was a restricted area and that unauthorized entry is prohibited. Despite signs indicating restricted access, the judge noted that the challenging terrain made it unlikely that the defendants saw the warnings. The decision marks a setback for the Trump administration's border crackdown as the trespassing charges were central to enforcing the NMNDA. READ THE ORDER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: The NMNDA was established in April and spans approximately 180 miles along the southern New Mexico border. U.S. Army personnel now patrol the area and are authorized to detain unauthorized entrants. "Beyond the reference to signage, the United States provides no facts from which one could reasonably conclude that the Defendant knew he was entering the NMNDA (New Mexico National Defense Area)," wrote Wormuth in a 16-page ruling. Wormuth has served as a U.S. magistrate judge since 2009. Magistrate judges are appointed by district court judges and not by the president. The judge dismissed two charges faced by the 98 arrested immigrants: violation of a security regulation and entering military property for an unlawful purpose, both misdemeanors. A third misdemeanor charge of entering the U.S. illegally remains. Up to May 9, Ellison's office reported charging 339 migrants for entering the New Mexico military area. Last month, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum visited New Mexico to announce that the Army was taking control of the federal land as part of the Trump administration's efforts to curb illegal immigration and trafficking. The 109,651 acres of federal land was transferred to the Army for three years, subject to valid existing rights. The switch in jurisdiction allows the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the Army support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior. In March, the Defense Department authorized the military to patrol the southern border to provide "enhanced detection and monitoring" to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Fox News Digital emailed and called a Department of Justice attorney involved in the case for comment.
