ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the street-level discretionary practices of border officials within the intra-Schengen mobility control apparatus, focusing specifically on the actions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (RNM) in the Dutch-German and Dutch-Belgian borderlands. It builds on the broader themes of discretion by zooming in on how these front-line, or street-level, agents exercise bottom-up discretion while enforcing Article 23 of the Schengen Borders Code (SBC). This chapter reveals how this bottom-up discretion is shaped not only by official policies but also by organisational culture, professional experience, and societal narratives surrounding migration, security, and professional identity. It examines key moments of discretionary decision-making, such as the selection of vehicles or individuals for checks and the decision to search vehicles, while also highlighting the role of racial and national profiling in these processes. By exploring the intersection of migration and crime control in discretionary street-level practices, this chapter sheds light on how moral, racial, and national identities are constructed and policed at Europe's internal borders. This chapter concludes by reflecting on the tensions between legal frameworks, organisational mandates, and street-level practices, emphasising the complex and often ambiguous nature of bottom-up discretion in intra-Schengen mobility control.
