The government is “favorable” to amendments, in its bill on l’immigrationwhich would make it possible to introduce measures to limit family reunification, said Tuesday the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin during a parliamentary hearing.
As it stands, the text presented on February 1 in the Council of Ministers and which must be examined from the end of March in the Senate, does not provide for any provision on the subject, “but I have heard many senators (…) propose restrictions”, noted the Minister of the Interior, interviewed by the law commission of the Senate.
“I will be in favor (…) of provisions which might limit family reunification without being contrary to the Constitution”, he declared, listing three tracks of “restrictions” of this right.
“Is 1,800 euros for two enough? »
The first, he explained, might consist in re-discussing the reception conditions (size of accommodation, income, duration of presence in the territory, etc.) required of foreigners who wish to bring their family to France. “Is 1,800 euros for two people enough? “, thus questioned Darmanin. “So if the Senate went towards modifications” which would impose “larger accommodation, higher remuneration and above all a longer condition of presence on national territory, that would seem to me to be common sense”, he continued.
The other track concerns refugees who are entitled to “family reunification”, which he wishes to restrict to the strict family unit. “When we give asylum to someone, when we give it to their family, that (does not) seem shocking to me. But should you give it to your family in the broad sense, ”he further questioned, referring to the “half-brothers” and “half-sisters” sometimes included. “There are abuses, undoubtedly,” he insisted, calling for this reunification to be limited “to the strict family, by defining what the family is in the French sense of the term”.
Finally, Darmanin said he was open to imposing language tests and “Republic values” to family members applying for a family reunification visa. If such measures were adopted by the law entitled “To control immigration, improve integration”, this would “limit for the first time in French law” family reunification, the minister’s entourage assured AFP. .
