Bundestag Passes Reform of the Federal Police Act

A central point is deportation custody. In the future, the Federal Police should also be able to apply for deportation custody in court themselves. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, this affects people who are required to leave the country and are enforceable without toleration. This is intended to prevent apprehended persons from being released again and going into hiding.

In the area of surveillance, the Federal Police receives significantly expanded capabilities. In the future, officers will be allowed to use automatic real-time facial recognition in their areas of responsibility - provided there is a particular danger situation. This includes, for example, an urgent danger to "the existence or security of the Federation or a state" or to the life of a person.

New Surveillance Powers

The new law allows the Federal Police to use video technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to decode movement patterns when they indicate the commission of a crime. For example, when someone raises their fist, draws a knife, or a helpless person falls onto the tracks. It would be permitted, for instance, if the parents of a kidnapped child provide a photo to be compared with the live footage from video cameras at airports and train stations.

To combat extremism and smuggling crime, the Federal Police is to receive new powers for telephone surveillance. The surveillance of telecommunications, including source telecommunications surveillance - that is, the secret reading of communications directly on the end device before encryption - is to be facilitated, as is the identification and localization of mobile phone cards and devices.

Drones and Controls

In addition, officers should be allowed to use their own drones for surveillance and reconnaissance. At the same time, they can defend against aircraft themselves through technical measures such as electromagnetic pulses, GPS jamming, or physical interventions. In weapons and knife ban zones, the Federal Police should in the future be allowed to carry out suspicionless checks on people.

During the debate, opposition members of parliament expressed sharp criticism. Clara Bünger (Left) said that comprehensive surveillance would become the norm with the planned reform. Irene Mihalic of the Greens said there were legal doubts regarding real-time biometric surveillance.

Criticism from the Opposition

Josef Oster (CDU) accused the AfD of not having bothered to engage with the details of the draft law. The AfD member of parliament Christopher Drößler said: "Multikulturelle Gesellschaften sind multikriminelle Gesellschaften."

The path to passage was long. Most recently, amendments to the Federal Police Act had failed in the Bundesrat - in 2021, for example, a reform planned by the government under Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). The "Ampel" coalition also struggled with the project. After the summer recess, the Bundesrat must now also deal with the draft law and approve it.

This news was broadcast on 10.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk.