French Interior Ministry To Allow Inspection Of “Harraga” Shelters

About a week after French President Emmanuel Macron returned from his visit to Algeria, the French Ministry of the Interior issued a decree establishing “mobile teams” with the task of verifying the identity of persons living in structures of a social nature across France.

According to the daily “Le Monde”, this decision was contained in an instruction issued by the French Ministry of the Interior on December 12th 2017, which was rejected by activists in the field of associations in France, because it is the first of its kind in the history of France to deal in a such a way with migrants who are on its territory.

It is known that France has shelters for vulnerable groups, which are generally “social” hotels frequented by homeless people, mostly illegal immigrants, run by some Catholic religious institutions and community organizations active in providing assistance to illegal immigrants.

French political circles were quick to denounce this “inhumane” decision, notably by Mr. Bruno Morel, president of the Emoise Solidarity Association, who asserted that the decision of the French interior ministry would “break the link of trust” to the fragile groups in the areas where they reside. 

This, he added, will lead to suspicion of the inhabitants of those neighborhoods by the providers of these services, putting people in the shelters in the possibility of being throwing out in the street.

For his part, Mr. Laurent Giovanini, an activist in the services of the Catholic Church, was quick to consider the French internal order, a procedure lacking “realism,” as he put it.

If this decision is not aimed at the nationals of a particular country, it is expected that numerous Algerian nationals, who are in an illegal residence status, will be able to confirm that Macron’s immigration policy was not as many observers were expecting. 

The latter have been waiting for a new policy towards illegal immigrants, based on greater openness, taking into account their woeful circumstances.

During his recent working and friendship visit to Algeria, the French President confirmed that he would adopt a new policy on the movement of people between the two countries. 

However, it seems that his Interior Minister Gerard Colomb is moving in the opposite direction. He has decided to expel all illegal immigrants in France who have been denied asylum.