“Wir schaffen das” or Not? Germany’s Immigration Crisis and the Lessons America Must Heed
Germany’s decade-long immigration challenge reveals costly policy failures and rising social tensions under Merkel and Merz—warnings the U.S. cannot afford to ignore as it fights to secure its borders and preserve sovereignty.
When Angela Merkel boldly declared “Wir schaffen das”—”We can do this”—in 2015, her words sought to inspire hope amid a massive surge of asylum seekers fleeing Syria’s brutal civil war. Yet, nearly ten years later, Germany’s experience starkly illustrates the consequences of unchecked immigration policies and misplaced optimism. It serves as a cautionary tale that America must study carefully as it shapes our own immigration future.
Can Open Borders Work Without National Sovereignty?
Germany’s current chancellor, Friedrich Merz, openly admits that the promise behind Merkel’s phrase remains unfulfilled. His government has shifted sharply away from open-door policies, enacting stricter border controls and halting family reunifications for many protected foreigners. These “corrections” reflect growing recognition that overwhelmed local administrations, prolonged asylum processing times, and poor labor market integration have created systemic weaknesses.
The independent Scientific Council on Migration highlights persistent deficits: excessive bureaucratic delays, reluctance among skilled foreign workers to seek employment, frustrated administrators, and slow refugee integration—all symptoms of a system stretched beyond capacity. Behind these facts looms a harder truth: political leaders in Berlin gambled with national sovereignty and public trust by embracing an immigration surge they were ill-prepared to manage.
What America Can Learn From Europe’s Missteps
While some analysts argue Germany avoided total collapse thanks to emergency EU-Turkey agreements and resourceful administration, the larger picture is one of mounting tension. The rise of extremist parties like Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which champions anti-immigration rhetoric while drawing scrutiny from German intelligence agencies for possible extremism ties, shows how immigration chaos fuels political polarization.
Moreover, unchecked migration poses tangible risks to national security—not only through strain on social services but also by providing fertile ground for radical elements to exploit openings in law enforcement oversight—a direct threat to any nation’s internal stability.
The United States is facing similar pressures at its southern border today. Like Germany in 2015, Washington confronts surges of migrants testing the limits of administrative capacity and intent on bypassing lawful entry protocols. How long will policymakers resist enforcing firm border controls rooted in sovereignty? How long before public frustration becomes political upheaval?
History offers a clear prescription: America must prioritize common-sense immigration reform that safeguards our borders while ensuring efficient asylum processing aligned with our laws—not hollow promises divorced from reality.
The German experience proves this isn’t just about compassion; it’s about preserving the fabric of national identity and protecting hardworking citizens’ economic interests. If we ignore these lessons now, we risk repeating their mistakes on an even greater scale.