Overview
- Official figures show 39,646 first‑time asylum requests in Germany in the first half of 2026, down from 61,336 in the same period of 2025 and about 121,000 in H1 2024.
- Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt ordered stepped‑up border controls after taking office in April 2025 and the ministry reports 14,270 people were turned back at German borders in H1 2026.
- Police and border units recorded enforcement outcomes of 494 suspected smugglers arrested and 4,074 people stopped who had outstanding arrest warrants in the same six‑month period.
- A long‑negotiated EU asylum reform that took effect on June 12, 2026 makes it easier for member states to transfer or deport people to third countries, a change that could speed returns from Germany.
- Across Europe fewer people applied for protection in the first half of 2026 and Germany received a large share of Afghan applicants, a shift that may lower arrival pressure on German border posts while raising risks for migrants facing expedited returns.