Federal police: far fewer unauthorized entries across Saxony

The federal police apprehended fewer illegal immigrants in Saxony last year than in 2024. The number had almost halved within a year, a spokesperson for the authority in Pirna said in response to an inquiry. In the previous year, a total of 4,530 illegal border crossings were detected in the Free State. In 2024, 8,477 cases were registered, compared to 29,744 in 2023.

The times when refugees were discovered in overcrowded vans or in car trunks are over, emphasized a spokesperson for the Pirna Federal Police Directorate. "There are also no more life-threatening escape attempts by smugglers with these occupied vehicles in this form."

Around 62,500 unauthorized entries nationwide

The number of unauthorized entries has also fallen significantly nationwide and has halved within two years. In the previous year, the Federal Police detected 62,526 illegal entries at all German land, air and sea borders. In 2024, there were 83,572 unauthorized entries, compared to 127,549 in 2023, when officers apprehended more than 20,000 people in some months.

Border controls have been in place again at all German land borders since mid-September 2024, and at the Saxon border with Poland and the Czech Republic since October 2023. The aim is to curb the number of unauthorized entries more effectively. The temporary controls have been extended twice so far. Border controls are not actually planned in the Schengen area, which includes most EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Most cases detected in Saxony in June

In Saxony, the number of unauthorized entries peaked at around 7,000 in September 2023. In the previous year, most cases were registered in June, around 450. According to the Federal Police, most of the people apprehended in 2025 came from Ukraine, Syria, Turkey and Russia. The ages ranged from babies just a few months old to 86-year-old refugees.

The police speak of unauthorized entry when a foreigner wants to cross the border without a valid residence permit. According to the German government, refoulement is only permitted if someone does not wish to apply for asylum or if they are subject to a temporary ban on re-entry. This is the case, for example, if someone has previously been deported or for people who come from so-called safe countries of origin if their asylum application has already been rejected as manifestly unfounded.