These days, more and more politicians are pushing the idea that national borders cannot be defended, and there is nothing that can be done about it. However, as of July 2024, this idea is seen as detrimental:
"The new government wants to introduce more border surveillance and stricter border controls to stem the flow of migrants and asylum seekers. However, experts and business and trade organizations such as VNO-NCW, Transport en Logistiek Nederland, and Ecofenedex are critical of the plans and see them as a disaster for the Dutch economy"
Professor Paul Minderhoud argues that there is no effective way to curb illegal migration:
"Law and economics professor Paul Minderhoud from Utrecht doubts the infrastructural plans to contain asylum seekers. For him, this is merely symbolic politics and points to other EU states, such as Romania and Bulgaria, which introduced these measures and ended in disaster."
(Romania still has border checks with Hungary since it is not yet fully part of the Schengen zone—this is not at all a disaster)
Other "experts", like Evelien Brouwer, echo this sentiment:
"The reintroduction of internal border controls is only possible in exceptional situations, for example, in the event of an attack, during events such as the European Championships or during a pandemic..."
"Brouwer sees no point in tighter border controls to stem the influx of migrants."
There were also politicians stating that the Netherlands has borders that are too extensive to be effectively protected. The Netherlands is hardly a medium or big sized country, but here we are.
However, now it's September, and in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing in the city of Solingen by a Syrian asylum seeker, combined with the rise of the AfD party in Germany, we see headlines like this:
"Germany plans to bring back border checks from Monday; Dutch Cabinet plans to cooperate"
"German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced on Monday that she wants to re-introduce passport controls at all national borders. She hopes to drastically reduce the number of people entering the country without a valid visa. Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Marjolein Faber said she understands very well why Germany will once again be introducing border controls to combat undocumented migration."
So something sees as impossible for the Netherlands, will be actually enforced (well, they will try at least) by Germany.
And this is exactly the opposite of what Dutch politicians have been saying. But who will be right in the end? Are border controls just a joke? Is defending national borders an impossible task? Should the world be open, allowing us all to roam freely over the hills and far away?
Meanwhile, on a more practical note, how to deal with illegal migrants and protect your borders and citizens is shown in this video:
