The Polish government has strongly criticised self-proclaimed citizen patrols who have gathered along the German-Polish border to block the return of migrants from Germany. These groups, mostly supported by right-wing opposition parties, say they are trying to stop the “illegal transfer” of migrants into Poland. However, government officials accuse them of spreading false information and interfering with official border operations.
Germany has been sending back migrants who crossed into its territory illegally through Poland. This process follows European Union rules, past agreements between both countries, and tighter border checks reintroduced in 2023. Many of those returned include Ukrainians and non-European nationals from Africa and Asia. Some had applied for asylum in Poland, while others entered the EU irregularly and traveled through Poland without proper documentation.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has already voiced concerns over the high number of returns from Germany and has even warned that Poland might stop honouring some agreements and reinstate its own border checks. Still, his government sees the citizen patrols as unhelpful. Tusk explained at a press conference that claims of Poland being “flooded” with migrants are untrue and that ultra-right politicians are using the border situation to gain attention and stir public fear.
Why is the Polish government against these patrols?
The main reason is that these groups are disrupting the work of trained border officers and sometimes taking illegal actions themselves. Some patrols have reportedly tried to block official operations, confront the police, and even detain people suspected of being irregular migrants. The government insists that such actions are dangerous and unlawful.
Tusk said he is in regular contact with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and has made it clear that each case of migrant return must be carefully reviewed. He assured that no migrant would be accepted back into Poland without a valid reason. If there are repeated cases of unjustified returns, Poland is ready to reintroduce border controls with Germany and even with Lithuania, another EU member and Schengen country.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak also condemned the citizen patrols. He accused right-wing groups of using the migrant issue for political gain and provoking border guards. He stated that anyone truly wanting to help should consider joining the official border guard, which has just created 1,500 new jobs. Siemoniak also pointed out that many of the current migrant issues began under the previous government, led by the Law and Justice party (PiS), which had more relaxed visa rules.
Opposition leaders from PiS and the far-right Confederation party were quick to respond. They accused Tusk and Siemoniak of betraying Polish citizens and siding with Germany. Former Prime Minister Beata Szydło said Tusk was insulting ordinary Poles who only want to protect their country. Zbigniew Ziobro, a former justice minister, went as far as calling Tusk a “Berlin agent” who is letting Germany break Polish laws.
Anna Bryłka, a Member of the European Parliament from the Confederation party, also defended the citizen patrols. She claimed that the government had failed to control the border, and now ordinary people were stepping in to do the job themselves. According to her, Tusk is more focused on criticising citizens than solving the actual problem at the border.
The situation remains tense, with the government trying to balance international agreements and border control while facing strong opposition from nationalist groups. As the debate continues, the role of migration in Poland’s politics is becoming even more important, especially with growing concerns over EU relations and national security.