Macron govt proposes toughening France asylum rules

PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron’s government on Wednesday proposed toughening France’s immigration and asylum laws despite strident criticism from human rights groups, in a move that will test the unity of his left-and-right majority.

The bill will double to 90 days the time in which illegal migrants can be detained, shorten deadlines to apply for asylum, and make the illegal crossing of borders an offence punishable by one year in jail and fines. The government says it wants to be both firm and fair on immigration.

Its proposal will also make it easier for minors to get asylum and aims to halve the time it takes for authorities to process any asylum request. “The law is balanced,” Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said, arguing that if France did not tighten its laws it would attract refugees put off by tougher rules elsewhere in Europe.

“If we don’t take this into account, we won’t be able, tomorrow, to guarantee the right to asylum in France.”

But while Macron’s parliamentary majority, a mix of lawmakers who have their roots both in rightwing and left-wing parties, has so far been very united, the government’s migration plans have triggered disquiet in its ranks.

Mathieu Orphelin, a lawmaker from Macron’s Republic On the Move party, said on Tuesday increasing the detention time from 45 days to 90 days was problematic, adding that he intended to propose amendments to modify the bill.

Another lawmaker from Macron’s party, Sonia Krimi, has accused the government of “playing with people’s fears” with its migration reform.

“Not all foreigners in France are terrorists, not all foreigners cheat with social welfare,” she said in a parliamentary debate.

Collomb told a news conference he was confident parliament would approve the law despite such criticism.

But Jean-Francois Dubost of Amnesty International said the rights group would press lawmakers to amend virtually all aspects of the bill. Full story @ timesofoman.com/world