Multidimension desk:

Strengthening the expulsion process of convicted foreign nationals from French territory

The bill relaxes the almost absolute protection against expulsion enjoyed by certain convicted foreign nationals who have been residing in France for a long time or who have personal and family ties (for example, parent of a French or foreign child who entered France before the age of 13 ). These foreigners can now be expelled in case of terrorism, harm to the fundamental interests of the State or incitement to hatred or discrimination. In the future, they may also be expelled in the event of a final conviction for a crime or misdemeanor punishable by ten years or more in prison or five years in reiteration (for example for murder or rape). In the same way, the text facilitates the pronouncement by the judges of the additional sentence of banishment from French territory (crime or misdemeanor punishable by more than ten years in prison, serious violence against the police, etc.).

The text also reduces protections against decisions to impose an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) in cases of serious threat to public order, even when the foreigners concerned have ties to France (for example, foreigners who have been legal residents for more than 20 years or foreigners who have been spouses of French citizens for more than three years).

Reform concerning foreign minors under 16 years of age

The ban on placing foreign minors under the age of 16 in an administrative detention center (CRA), including when they accompany adults. The government is implementing the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the subject. On the other hand, the conditions of detention of foreign minors aged 16 to 18 have not changed. The latter can always be placed in an CRA when they are accompanied by an adult foreigner.

Measures to fight against irregular immigration

Other measures to fight against irregular immigration complete the text: aggravation of the repression against smugglers and “sleeping merchants”, authorization of the use of coercion for the taking of the fingerprints of asylum seekers at the border, possible visual inspection by the border police of private cars in the “border zone” (and no longer only of vehicles with more than nine seats)…