On December 19, 2023, the French Senate approved a controversial immigration bill,…

Overview

On December 19, 2023, the French Senate approved a controversial immigration bill, following debates between the presidential majority and the far right. The new legislation introduces "quotas" to limit the admission of foreigners to France over the next three years, a measure considered unconstitutional by the presidential majority. The French president accepted these quotas, along with holding an annual immigration debate in Parliament, in the hope that the Constitutional Council would reject them. Other controversial measures include the loss of nationality for people with dual citizenship convicted of murder and restrictions on the automatic right to French nationality at the age of majority for children of foreigners born in France. The agreement also establishes the impossibility of naturalization for French-born foreigners convicted of crimes, the reinstatement of the "offense of illegal residence" with a fine, a ban on the detention of foreign minors, and stricter conditions for family reunification, including an increase in the period of residence, a requirement for stable resources and health insurance, and a minimum age for the spouse of 21 years. The French right has managed to introduce, in some cases, a cash deposit for foreigners applying for a "student" residence permit. However, Macronists opposed it, arguing that it would violate equality between students. The proposal to abolish State Medical Assistance for undocumented migrants was abandoned, with a promise to reform the scheme by 2024. However, the text restricts access to the residence permit for "sick foreigners", making it conditional on the lack of "adequate treatment" in the country of origin and excluding health insurance coverage for applicants with sufficient resources.

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Official Sources

• https://www.gov.br/mj/pt-br/assuntos/seus-direitos/migracoes/nacionalidade

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