BERLIN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The German federal government reaffirmed its strict border and migration policy on Wednesday, despite a court ruling earlier this week that deemed the deportation of three Somali asylum seekers unlawful.
On Monday, the Berlin administrative court found that German border police violated European asylum law by denying entry to the individuals at Frankfurt an der Oder station on the Polish-German border. Authorities had justified the action by claiming the Somalis arrived from a "safe third country," but the court ruled that Germany was obligated to examine their asylum applications.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged on Tuesday that the ruling may limit certain enforcement options but maintained that the government can still reject applications when justified. "We are doing this to protect public order and to ease pressure on cities and municipalities," he said, adding that internal border controls would remain until significant improvements are made at the EU's external borders.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt previously cited strained childcare, education, and healthcare systems as grounds for maintaining strict migration controls.
Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei said on national broadcaster ARD that while the government would comply with the court's order in the specific case, the decision would not alter broader asylum policy.
However, the ruling has sparked concern among legal experts and police unions. Andreas Rosskopf, head of the federal police division of the German Police Union (GdP), said border officers now face legal uncertainty and should not be held personally liable for carrying out official orders.
Gisela Seidler, head of the legislative committee of the German Bar Association, criticized the government's stance, saying, "Even if the government disagrees with a court ruling, it is still obliged to follow it."
The case has reignited debate over how Germany should balance national security with its obligations under European asylum law. ■
