German officials under intense pressure over the deluge of illegal migrants pouring into the country tried a novel approach recently. They strengthened border controls — with remarkable results.

The number of illegals gaining irregular entry into the E.U. nation fell by more than half in just weeks, according to German media. There are still roughly 300 migrants detected crossing the border daily, but that is down from approximately 700 just a month ago.

With the liberal government’s lax asylum policies, these mostly Middle Eastern migrants are there to stay once they arrive. But border control proved effective in stemming the tide, just as any logical observer would assume. 

German border crackdown
SUCCEEDS as illegal immigration plummets after break with Schengen rules.

Germany was forced to introduce a directive, separate to the EU rules.

Good news for us as well if they can cut the numbers ‘upstream’https://t.co/Rg8yerty1K

— sandieshoes 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@sandieshoes) November 27, 2023

German leaders, like many of their leftist European counterparts, have suffered in recent elections. This is largely due to the populace being fed up with lax immigration policies that are destroying the cultural framework of their countries.

In this light, the ruling Social Democrats and Greens decided to enact a measure of border control. 

It was pitched as a humanitarian measure to protect illegal migrants from being mistreated by human smugglers. The initial 10-day crackdown has been twice extended by 20 days.

The new controls were instituted on Germany’s borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported a 40% drop in unauthorized entries, according to police data.

Armin Schuster, Saxony’s interior minister, told the outlet that the program “exceeded our expectations, significantly so.” 

Another factor in the sharp decline in illegal entries appears to be Serbia’s crackdown on its border with Hungary. Many migrants cross through this area with the intention of reaching Germany. 

The country saw a 73% spike in asylum applications through September of this year compared to the same period in 2022. 

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told the European Commission last month that her government would step up border security. There are no rules built into E.U. open border policies that allow for such a measure, but it was still instituted.

Even though it is hardly the complete border control desperately needed by Germany and other E.U. states, it is a start. And the results proved that it does not take a herculean effort to make a serious impact on illegal migration.

It’s a lesson that should reach the Biden White House.