Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa arrive in Messina, Sicily. A European poll has found that a majority of voters want immigration to be more tightly controlled Emilio Morrenatti/Associated Press

Angela Merkel met state governors last night to hammer out tough measures to speed up the forced repatriation of rejected asylum seekers.

The move by the German chancellor came as police announced that they had arrested two Islamists and averted another terrorist attack — and as a poll revealed that European voters hold views on immigration that are closer to President Trump’s stance than that of their own leaders.

An average of 55 per cent of respondents across ten European countries — including 53 per cent in Germany — agreed with the statement that “all further migration from mainly Muslim countries should be stopped”, according to the respected Chatham House think tank.

The 16-point plan agreed with the governors of Germany’s 16 federal states yesterday…