Immigrant defense associations expressed concern on Monday about the government’s immigration bill, which they see as an “accumulation of repressive measures” and contrary to “humanist principles”, calling on parliamentarians to “reject” the text whose examination begins in the afternoon in the Senate.
The accumulation of repressive and security measures has become the guiding principle of the bill, estimated Fanlie Carrey-Conte, general secretary of Cimade, during a press conference of 35 associations and collectives of undocumented immigrants in Paris.
The text, defended by the Ministers of the Interior Grald Darmanin and Labor Olivier Dussopt, provides for a battery of measures intended facilitate the expulsions of foreigners responsible for disturbing public orderan integration component particularly for undocumented workers, as well as a reform of the asylum system.
A bill not up to the challenge
It is terrible that in France, a country of human rights, we only associate migration issues with the assimilation of migrants/delinquents, with the words repression, stigmatization, evictions, confinementsaid the association manager.
Where is the welcome, the solidarity? At what point are we going to talk about the tragedies at the borders, the people who will continue to die on migratory routes?, she added, believing that the bill does not meet the challenges.
There is nothing wrong with this text, former socialist minister Benot Hamon, who now heads the NGO Singa, working for the socio-economic inclusion of refugees, told AFP. The bill, which will then be debated from December 11 in the National Assembly, The ending will probably be worse of his examination, because if the government wants a majority, it is necessarily through a toughening after an agreement with the right, or even the extreme right, he anticipates.
We have already tried the repressive measures provided for in the text, explains Mr. Hamon: Darmanin takes up what does not work, which has been the subject of 28 legal texts since 1980. It is the same inspiration which led to the Brexit and the election of (Giorgia) Meloni (in Italy), that is to say anti-immigration policies and in both cases entries into Italian and British territories have been doubled.
This text is orthogonal to all the humanist principles that exist (…). We must be against it, insisted the former minister. In a joint statement, the 35 organizations called on parliamentarians reject this text and finally have the courage to adopt a respectful policy fundamental rights. Concerns also come from certain amendments tabled before the resumption of examination of the text, repeatedly postponed for a year.
Certain central unions, associations as well as academics asked Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Monday to remove those who call into question the right to land for children born in France to foreign parents.
Amendments tabled by the senatorial right which represent a setback that has gone largely unnoticed, wrote Ms. Borne in a letter, a group of around sixty signatories, including the leaders of the Human Rights League, the CGT, and even historian Benjamin Stora. The signatories are deeply concerned about measures disintegrators repeating antiphons from the far right.
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