• A Berlin court ruled that the expulsion of three Somali asylum seekers was unlawful.
• The ruling challenges Chancellor Friedrich Merz's stringent migration policies.
• The court emphasized adherence to EU asylum regulations, specifically the Dublin rules.
• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt maintains that the government's policies will continue despite the ruling.
• The decision could significantly impact the ongoing debate on Germany's immigration strategy.

A Berlin administrative court ruled on Monday that German authorities unlawfully expelled three Somali asylum seekers at the Polish border, marking a significant challenge to the government's aggressive migration stance under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The court's decision arose after the asylum seekers were turned back at a train station in Frankfurt an der Oder and sent back to Poland, with the police citing their arrival from a "safe country" as the reason for expulsion, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The court emphasized that under the European Union's so-called Dublin rules, Germany is obliged to process asylum claims even at the border. It stated that "the rejection was unlawful because Germany is obliged to process their claims," thereby enforcing the legal protocol that must be followed, as mentioned in Channel News Asia and India Times.

Chancellor Merz, in response to the ruling, asserted that the government would continue its pushback policy at the borders for safety and to manage the asylum application process, despite the legal setback. He suggested that the ruling might limit their options but would not cease the enforcement of stricter migration controls, as reported by Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt defended the government's approach, asserting it was necessary to maintain public order. He indicated that further legal justifications for the policy would be presented, countering criticisms from opposition lawmakers who deemed the ruling a severe defeat for the government. Critics argue that the ruling underscores the inconsistency and potential unlawfulness of Merz's crackdown on migration, which has sparked significant public debate and concerns within the EU, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.