Manuel Valls Calls for Stricter Immigration Policies in Response to Mayotte's Challenges
The French Overseas Minister highlights immigration and illegal housing as key issues affecting Mayotte, alongside recovery efforts from Cyclone Chido.
- Manuel Valls, Minister for Overseas Territories, describes Mayotte as 'nécrosé' by immigration, with 50% of its population being foreign, mostly in irregular status.
- Valls advocates for enhanced detection systems and aims to increase deportations from 25,000 to 35,000 annually, citing the destruction of some monitoring infrastructure by Cyclone Chido.
- The French Assembly will debate stricter conditions for birthright citizenship in Mayotte on February 6, including requiring both parents to have legal residency for at least a year.
- Valls supports the revised 'Valls Circular' tightening rules on undocumented immigrant regularization, while maintaining limited pathways for essential labor needs.
- Mayotte faces recovery challenges post-cyclone, with only 158 of 221 schools ready for reopening on January 27, and plans for some students to relocate to mainland France for education.
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Ouest-France 