Germany’s federal police said they have refused entry to 6,193 people at the country’s land borders between 8 May and 30 June, the first seven weeks of stricter controls ordered by the new conservative government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Police data show that 285 of those turned back had signalled an intention to claim asylum, a departure from previous practice that has already drawn legal scrutiny. Seventy-nine vulnerable individuals were nevertheless permitted to file asylum requests. Officers also arrested 274 suspected human traffickers and detained 1,517 people wanted on outstanding warrants during the checks. Interior Ministry officials presented the figures as evidence that the tougher regime is curbing irregular migration, noting that overall unauthorised entries have fallen in the first half of 2025 compared with a year earlier. The interior minister said Germany has recorded about 600,000 asylum seekers in the past two years and called for direct agreements with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to facilitate deportations. He added that Syria “remains a challenge” for returning refugees, though Berlin is in contact with Damascus to repatriate convicted criminals.