Alexandre Chauveau // Photo credit: XOSE BOUZAS / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP
The Senate continues debates on the Immigration bill. Among the important votes this Thursday, the adoption of articles 9 and 10, presented as being “the heart of the text” by Gérald Darmanin. These last two articles should make it possible in particular to facilitate the expulsion of foreigners who constitute “a serious threat to public order”.
Debates on the immigration bill continue in the Senate. This Thursday, the upper house notably voted on articles 9 and 10, presented as being “the heart of the text” by Gérald Darmanin. These plan to facilitate the expulsions of foreigners who constitute a “serious threat to public order”, by lifting most of the protections enjoyed by certain foreign delinquents, such as having arrived in France before the age of 13.
This was the case of the Arras terrorist. The current law also prevents the expulsion of foreign offenders married to a French person, parents of French minors or those who have lived in the territory for at least 10 years.
At least 4,000 additional foreigners deported per year
“For example, there is a national of a country, I do not want a city, who is not married, has no children in the national territory and does not present any proof of professional integration and does not does not have any residence permit. He has twelve convictions in nine years : driving without a license with repeat offenses, drug use, aggravated theft, etc. But under the pretext that he arrived before the age of 13, I cannot proceed with his expulsion,” explains Gérald Darmanin to the senators.
The Senate therefore, by a large majority, lifted these protections, which would, according to the Minister of the Interior, allow the return of 4,000 additional foreigners per year. The senators finally voted in favor of the expulsion of any foreigner convicted of crimes or misdemeanors punishable by at least five years in prison, as well as perpetrators of intra-family violence, or against elected officials, police officers or of caregivers. So many offenses which today do not result in expulsion.