the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, wants to extend administrative detention up to 210 days

Currently, this maximum duration in a center is only applicable in terrorist matters.

He maintains his hard line on immigration. Bruno Retailleau wishes to extend the duration of administrative detention of irregular migrants up to 210 days, in an interview published by the Figaro magazineWednesday October 2. “For terrorist acts, French law already provides for a period of up to 210 days. For the most serious crimes, our hand must not tremble, we must go up to 180 days, or even 210 days”declared the Minister of the Interior to the weekly.

First set at 10 days in 1993, the duration in administrative detention centers (CRA) was increased by “exceptional manner” 90 days with the Collomb law of 2018, and 210 days, or approximately seven months, in terrorist matters. The Minister of the Interior wants all cases to be aligned with this duration. “This requires the passing of a law but everyone will take their responsibilities before the people”he adds.

Bruno Retailleau also indicates that he will ask “the prefects must systematically appeal the release of a CRA, even if this appeal is not suspensive”. A foreigner can in fact appeal his placement by the prefect to a judge of freedoms and detention within 48 hours. Also in the minister’s sights are the associations operating in these centers and responsible for providing legal and social assistance to those detained. He wishes to transfer this competence to the French Office of Immigration and Integration (Ofii) because the associations, he judges, “are judge and party”.

The new tenant of Place Beauvau also wants to condition the “visa policy when issuing passes” consular documents, essential documents to send foreigners back to their countries of origin. He hears “dialogue” with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This avenue was mentioned the day before by the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, during his general policy speech. Believing that the French are “too generous, without being paid in return”Bruno Retailleau affirms that in 2023, France issued 238,750 visas to Morocco but did not obtain “only 725 passes”. Algeria has obtained 205,853 visas and “only took back 2,191 of its nationals”according to the minister.