Paris: The French government is set to unveil a tough new immigration bill on Wednesday that is proving one of the most divisive of Emmanuel Macron’s young presidency. The legislation, which criminalises illegal border crossings and aims for quicker deportation of those deemed economic migrants, has sparked widespread anger from NGOs who have branded it repressive.
The government says the law balances “efficiency” with “humanity”, offering faster asylum to refugees found to have fled conflict or repression.
But it has opened divisions in the left-right coalition that newcomer Macron set up when he came to power in May, with even some members of his Republic On The Move
(LREM) party breaking ranks to criticise it.
“The most vulnerable will be punished,” said Jean-Michel Clement, a lawmaker who joined the centrist LREM after switching from the Socialists.
Some workers at France’s refugee protection office Ofpra were going on strike to protest the bill on Wednesday, branding it “an unequivocal departure from France’s tradition of asylum”.
They join staff at the asylum court who have been on strike for nine days over their working conditions, with immigration lawyers also raising concerns over aspects of the draft law.
The bill will be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday before being tabled in parliament in April.
While leftwingers see it as too punitive the right have labelled it too lax. Macron has come under pressure to toughen his stance after winning power in an election in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen won 34 per cent of the vote, capitalising on concerns over immigration.
France received a record 100,000 asylum applications last year.
NGOs have lashed out in particular at plans to double the time asylum-seekers can be held in detention to 90 days and halve the amount of the time they have to appeal if turned down for refugee status. — AFP
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