"Obviously unlawful": Migration researcher considers rejection idea to have failed

Migration researcher Gerald Knaus is irritated by Dobrindt's announcement to maintain the rejections at German borders. He argues the government must ask itself how the federal police could be sent to do something "obviously illegal."

Migration researcher Gerald Knaus believes the concept of rejections has failed. "The German government will lose all cases that come to court, all the way up to the European Court of Justice. The only question is how long they want to keep this going," Knaus said in the Stern podcast " 5-Minute-Talk ."

On Monday, the Berlin Administrative Court declared the Federal Police's rejection of three Somalis unlawful. Knaus expressed irritation at Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt's announcement that he would nevertheless stick to the controversial plan: "At some point, the SPD – which provides the Minister of Justice – will have to ask the question: how can one actually send the Federal Police to do something that is obviously unlawful?"

Knaus continued: "I don't know anyone in practice who believes this will work. So why doesn't the government rely on concepts that have already reduced the numbers, which it itself presented as good during the election campaign, and where it has the other countries as partners" – secure third-country agreements modeled on the EU-Turkey deal.

The EU Commission presented proposals two weeks ago that would make this legally possible. "Now the SPD, CDU, and CSU in the European Parliament must ensure that it passes as quickly as possible. Most people in the EU want this," Knaus said. "Then, in parallel, we could begin negotiations and offers now. As quickly as possible."