Unauthorized entry: Switzerland: Rejection of asylum seekers is illegal

Switzerland criticizes the stricter rules for migrants at the German national borders as illegal. The new Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) announced on Wednesday a few hours after taking office that the federal police will also be able to reject asylum seekers at the border in the future – except certain vulnerable groups such as pregnant women or families with children.

“From the perspective of Switzerland, systematic rejections at the border violate applicable law,” the Swiss Ministry of Justice then wrote on the platform X. The Swiss authorities “check if necessary”.

Justice Minister Beat Jans had already proposed a meeting at the ministerial level. So far, he has not commented on how Switzerland wants to deal with rejected asylum seekers.

In the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, a coordination with neighboring countries is provided for.

Germany had strengthened border controls to Switzerland in 2023. According to a report by the broadcaster SRF, inspectors rejected around 10,000 people there last year. A concern of the Swiss is that sharper controls make the life of commuters difficult to work in Switzerland every day.

In Poland, too, the German plan to extend the border controls and reject asylum seekers came across resistance from Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “Germany will let it go to its area. Whoever it wants. Poland will only let his area be in his area,” said Tusk at a press conference with the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz.