Debate about migration policy
Merz to Trump government: “No need for admonitions”
November 27, 2025 – 7:47 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Chancellor Merz criticizes attempted US interference in European migration policy. The Chancellor makes it clear that Europe is planning its own regulations.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has rejected the US government’s interference in European migration policy. “Migration policy is our concern. We decide whether we think it is right,” said the CDU leader on Thursday in Berlin in response to an instruction from the US State Department calling on its ambassadors in Europe to act against migration-friendly policies.
Germany in particular has been on the right track since the change of government, said Merz. “We don’t need any admonitions from outside.” They are also in the process of formulating a new common European asylum and immigration policy. “We can also do this on our own and will determine this on our own,” the Chancellor added.
The US government had instructed its diplomats to promote more restrictive immigration policies in Europe, Canada and Australia. The circular, seen by Reuters, links mass migration to violent crimes and human rights violations.
The US missions should therefore report such incidents to Washington and pressure the host countries to adopt stricter migration rules. “We encourage your government to ensure that policies protect its citizens from the negative social impacts of mass migration, including displacement, sexual assault and the breakdown of law and order,” the meeting guidelines for diplomats said.
US President Donald Trump made immigration a central election campaign issue. After taking office, he launched a campaign against illegal migration. The government lowered the upper limit for refugee admissions for the 2026 financial year to a record low of 7,500 people – under predecessor Joe Biden it was still 100,000. As one of the main receiving countries for migrants in Europe, Germany has so far been a particular focus of US diplomacy. Leading Trump supporters support right-wing populist parties in Europe such as the AfD.
