Thousands Rally in France Against Proposed Immigration Law by Government

Thousands of people, including illegal immigrants, protested today in Paris and other French cities against the proposed immigration law by the government, which has once again been delayed until autumn due to a lack of political consensus. In the capital, Paris, around 2,300 protesters marched “against repression and expulsions” and “for a welcoming migration policy.”

The protests also aimed to challenge the French authorities’ operation in the Mayotte region of the Comoros archipelago, to the east of Mozambique, to evict irregular immigrants from slums. The government, which delayed its immigration bill on Wednesday until autumn due to the lack of political consensus, has promised a balance between expelling foreigners who threaten public order and better integration of “undocumented” immigrants.

The right-wing party, Les Republicains, which has a majority in the Senate, advocates for an end to further rights for illegal immigrants and approval of more social benefits for legalized immigrants.