France brings in tough new immigration law
French lawmakers adopted a tough immigration law today that makes it harder for foreigners to remain in France or bring in their families, but easier for those with special talents.
Senators gave the final approval to the much-criticised set of measures tabled by Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. Opponents of the law were to hold demonstrations tomorrow, in protests also aimed at government threats to expel school children as part of a crackdown on illegal immigrants.
The opposition Socialist Party has said it would ask the Constitutional Council, France’s highest administrative body, to study the new law for potential rights infringements.
The new measures do away with the practice of automatically granting papers to illegal aliens who have been in France for 10 years. It makes it harder for immigrants to bring families to France and for others to stay.
However, the law also sets up a system which makes room for foreigners with special “competence and talent.” For Sarkozy, the introduction of a special category of foreigners allows France to “choose” its immigrants rather than “be subjected” to immigration.
The law was passed during an emotionally charged debate over the potential expulsion of children of illegal immigrants that some feared could begin with the end of the school year on July 4.
The issue has so inflamed Sarkozy’s critics that the minister recently named a mediator, high-profile lawyer Arno Klarsfeld, to deal with tough cases and bring calm.
Immigrant support groups called for protests around France on Saturday - against the new immigration law.
Some activists have begun taking responsibility for some children in a bid to keep them in France. At police headquarters and government offices, immigrants were lining up to procure applications to stay, fearing deportation at the end of the school year.
Klarsfeld said families have until August 13 to apply for to stay in France.
“There will be no expulsions of those who have filed their papers or are doing so,” Klarsfeld said.
Families “with strong ties to France,” those who have lived here two years, have children born here or arrived before the age of 13 and are in school will be given papers, he said.
