Van Weel emphasizes in a letter to the House of Representatives that the importance of public order weighs heavily and that all necessary measures are being taken to protect the migration system from further overload. At the same time, every effort is made to minimize the impact of border controls on the economy, traffic, cross-border workers, and border regions. To date, there are no indications that the Dutch border controls have had a significant negative effect.
The controls are, as in the previous period, carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee based on risk analyses and within the existing capacity and budget. Foreign nationals who do not meet the entry requirements, such as being able to show valid travel or residence documents, are refused entry at the internal border. They must leave the Netherlands as soon as possible.
In the period from December 9, 2024, to September 8, 2025, during internal border controls at the national borders with Belgium and Germany, 470 foreign nationals were refused entry to the Netherlands and 230 persons were detained. The detentions took place, among other things, in the context of migration-related crime, such as document fraud and human smuggling. Since July 28, 2025, internal border controls have also been carried out at airports. In total, 500 airplanes were checked during the period up to September 8, and 20 return decisions were imposed.
