Merz promised a "de facto entry ban" for illegal migrants: This is what it looks like at the border

On Tuesday, Friedrich Merz (CDU) stumbled into his chancellorship. He had already promised to rigorously reject migrants at the borders on the very first day of his term. This also applies to migrants seeking asylum. Merz will first travel to Warsaw today to discuss, among other things, how migration can now be regulated with Polish President Donald Tusk.

In the morning, everything is still quiet at the border. In Küstrin-Kietz, a police car is parked at the bridge over the Oder River. Küstrin-Kietz is one of the points on the Polish border where many refugees usually arrive. "We haven't had any today," says one of the federal police officers. "But they don't register either." He smiles.

Another nerve center is Frankfurt (Oder), about 30 kilometers south. Many refugees come through the border crossing at the Oder Bridge. A bar owner explains: "They mostly come at night, and it never stops. I hope this finally changes."

On this first morning of Merz's chancellorship, there are a few police cars and a large tent where intercepted refugees are being processed. Around midday, more stringent checks are noticeable. By now, every second car is being waved over by federal police.

However, there is no clear order yet. The Federal Police are currently ramping up their forces. Officers are now awaiting instructions, the Berliner Zeitung learned. The next steps will depend on the instructions.

Late this afternoon, the new Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt —appointed by the CSU as a hardliner for stricter controls on illegal migration—will make a statement to the press. He is expected to announce the next steps at that time.