[PRESS RELEASE] The territories of western France warn of the worsening living and reception conditions for exiles

PRESS RELEASE

Bordeaux, 15 March, 2024

The territories of western France warn the Government of the worsening living and reception conditions for exiled people on their territories.

Friday 15 March, 2024 - 18 communities and parliamentary elected representatives from western France, all members of ANVITA (National Association of Welcoming Cities and Territories) notice and warn of the worsening welcoming conditions of exiled people on their territories. Represented by Harmonie Lecerf-Meunier, Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux, vice-president of ANVITA, Agnès Destriau, Departmental Councillor of Gironde and Floriane Varieras, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg, co-Chair of ANVITA, local authorities and members of parliament have pointed out:

• Concern about increasingly restricted access to residence permits and renewals, exacerbated by the dematerialisation of procedures and the glaring lack of human resources at the prefecture. Appointment slots are very rare and the work of assisting people to obtain residence permits is almost exclusively carried out by partner associations and local authorities.
• Alert about the increasing precariousness of the situation of exiled people in our territories, in the same way as the French population, exacerbated by administrative insecurity, a lack of support in all areas of inclusion and existing discrimination factors. They denounce an unprecedented rise in homelessness. The departments, with their resources ever more limited, are witnessing a general breakdown in the rights and pathways of unaccompanied minors and young adults.

This has serious consequences in terms of the construction of precariousness. Because of these systemic shortcomings, many people can find themselves undocumented almost overnight.

« When the Government finds that the State is no longer able to guarantee a right, it tries to abolish it. An example of this is the reconsideration of the unconditional nature of emergency accommodation in the Asylum and Immigration Act, which was rejected by the Constitutional Council. », claims Harmonie Lecerf-Meunier.

To this, Agnès Destriau adds «The partial censure of the Asylum and Immigration Law by the Constitutional Council underlined the validity of our campaign against the exclusion of certain people from Personalised Autonomy Assistance. What remains of the text requires us to continue the fight, as it provides, for example, for the deportation of young people supported by the Departments under child protection arrangements once they turn 18. This is tantamount to negating the entire integration process, and turning hope into failure. »

« This organised disorder in our territories is fuelling the trivialisation of ideas historically promoted by the far right, making migration the cause of all our ills. These discourses, ranging from economic to security arguments, criminalise foreigners and sometimes result in acts of violence. This is a real concern in view of the forthcoming European elections. » concludes Floriane Varieras.

Following these discussions, the local authorities announced their willingness to work together to observe and identify shortcomings in access to rights for exiles, and the discretionary powers of the prefects, which make the application of the law illegible in the territories.