Hundreds of people marched to protest against the government’s plan, which notably plans to facilitate deportations and a reform of the right to asylum.
“No to the Darmanin law”, announced the banners. Several hundred people demonstrated on Saturday February 18 in Paris, Lyon and Marseille against the immigration bill and against the administrative detention centers (CRA). The demonstrators notably denounced a “disposable immigration” and called for the regularization of undocumented migrants.
In Paris, the demonstrators, 1,200 according to the organizers, had made an appointment in front of the Immigration Museum, in the 12th arrondissement, to go to the detention center of Vincennes, at the call of a collective “against disposable immigration” including Solidaires, Rights ahead, the League of Human Rights, the PCF or the New Anti-Capitalist Party. “Against repression and confinement and expulsions, for a welcoming migration policy”proclaimed The Head Banner.
In Lyon, more than a hundred participants, including a handful of yellow vests, marched towards the prefecture, under the flags of LFI or even Unef. In Marseille, they were between 150 and 200 and stopped for a long time in front of the CRA located in the 14th arrondissement (north) of the city and chanting “papers for all or no papers at all”Or “stone by stone, wall by wall, we will destroy the detention centres”.
“It’s very problematic”
The bill defended by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin provides for several measures to facilitate expulsions – especially of foreigners “delinquents” -, a reform of the right to asylum and an integration component, in particular the regularization of undocumented workers in sectors where employers are struggling to hire, such as catering.
“Regularizing only in so-called tension sectors is very problematic: it means regularizing where no one wants to go because the conditions are unworthy”estimated Cybèle David, member of the collective and of Solidaires, questioned by AFP, for whom “it is a sorting of immigrants and blackmail at the acceptance of a job”.