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Rabat – The French Ministry of the Interior revealed today that the country has deported a significant number of foreign offenders in 2023, with Maghreb countries emerging as the primary destination for expulsions.
The ministry’s data indicated that the number of expulsions of foreign offenders increased by 30% in 2023 compared to the previous year. A total of 4,686 individuals, predominantly men, were deported from France, representing a significant rise from the 3,615 expulsions recorded in 2022 and 1,800 in 2021.
The data comes just two weeks after the contentious adoption of a new immigration law, designed to streamline the deportation process and make it more difficult for migrants to bring family to France. The law, which also delays migrants’ access to welfare benefits, has faced widespread criticism.
The Ministry of the Interior released the statistics on the same day the Court of Auditors released a report on the government’s policy regarding the fight against illegal immigration, Le Parisien reported.
Following Maghreb countries, the primary destinations for those expelled were Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Europe respectively.
The Ministry of the Interior said that these numbers specifically pertain to effective removals from administrative detention centers and the execution of ministerial expulsion orders.
Notably, these figures do not encompass individuals expelled due to their association with the File for the Prevention of Terrorism-Related Radicalization (FSPRT).
Read also: Moroccan Schengen Visa Applicants Raise Concerns Over Intermediary Exploitation
The French Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin expressed satisfaction with the figures. In addition, he urged prefects to further expedite the deportation process and leverage the provisions of the immigration law once it receives final approval.
The legislation, yet to be put into effect pending a decision by the Constitutional Council, includes provisions for the expulsion of foreign offenders, even those in legal residency status, including those who arrived in France before the age of 13 or have a French spouse.
The increase in expulsions has raised debates around the fairness of the government’s immigration policies, with particular attention on the impact of the new law.
In addition, the fact that individuals from Maghreb countries faced the highest number of expulsions prompted discussions on the criteria and procedures used in determining deportations based on national origin.
In the last couple of years, Schengen visa applicants in Morocco, including professionals, students, and artists, have raised concerns about France’s visa restrictions and the high rejection rates.
Data by Schengen Visa Info revealed that Moroccans spent €33.8 million on Schengen visa applications last year, making Morocco the African country with the highest number of Schengen visa applications, totaling over 423,000.
The data indicated that only 57.5% of the applications received a positive response, with over 119,000 applicants rejected.
