If the immigration law is applied, “at least 110,000 people, including 30,000 children, will be deprived of their social rights”, according to a collective

The collective of public agents Our public services denounces the fact that the immigration law would establish a “national preference” on “family benefits and housing allowances which de facto targets the most precarious people and children”.

At least 110,000 people, including 30,000 children, “would be deprived of their social rights” because of the immigration law, warns the Our public services collective on Friday January 19 in a note consulted by franceinfo. In this 17-page text, the collective of public agents denounces the fact that the immigration law, and more precisely its article 19, would establish a “national preference” on “family benefits and housing allowances which de facto target the most precarious people and children”.

This note comes from the collective Our public services brings together around 600 civil servants and civil service contract workers who say they are “committed to rediscovering the meaning that underpins public service and its daily missions”. The text considers that the fact of “condition almost all family benefits and housing allowances – with regard to foreigners only – to a period of presence in the territory of at least five years or a minimum duration of professional activity” risks worsening poverty and the living conditions of the most precarious.

“Many families will fall into poverty”

According to the collective, “the immigration law comes into conflict” the principles of “liberty, equality, fraternity” which make up the Republic in “imposing differences in treatment without difference in situation”. “The number of people who would be deprived of their social rights, with equal contributions, and on the sole reason of their place of birth or the nationality of their parents, is estimated at at least 110,000, including 30,000 children”underlines the text.

The collective adds that “many of these families will fall into poverty”. Of these 30,000 children, if the law were to come into force, “one in two would be below the very serious poverty line”said Arnaud Bontemps, co-spokesperson for the Nos services publics collective, on Friday on franceinfo.

Arnaud Bontemps gave the cases of two children as an example: “Ismaël and Sophia are both 1 year old and were born in France. They have two parents and nevertheless, because Ismaël’s parents are not French, the difference between these two children at the end of each month for the household would be 500 euros less in family allowances, childcare benefits”he explained.

“Due to the nationality of the parents, there is a very significant break with constitutional principles, the principle of equality and the principle of non-discrimination.”

Arnaud Bontemps, co-spokesperson for the collective Our public services

on franceinfo

The immigration bill was definitively adopted by Parliament on December 19 after long debates. On January 14, thousands of people demonstrated in France to demand the “total withdrawal” of this law. Other gatherings are planned for Sunday January 21 before the decision of the Constitutional Council on January 25. “It seems to us that the right to universal dignity, the right to equality is part of the Republican motto and we hope that the Constitutional Council will be able to rule on these questions”declared Arnaud Bontemps.