The Immigration law, passed by parliamentarians on December 19, aims to restrict immigration to France through the implementation of a series of restrictive measures. One of them concerns the introduction of a “return deposit” required for the reception of foreign students. The amount of this is not fixed, but either it will be negligible and in this case the measure is useless, or it will turn out to be significant and discrimination by resources will be put in place to the detriment of many. Not to mention that this measure directly clashes with the principle of globalization of university studies and research.
Worse, our country is already no longer a priority destination for foreign students. As France Universités reminds us, the association of French universities, we welcome much fewer students than Germany or Great Britain, even if students still constitute the first group of holders of a residence permit. And the introduction of this deposit will further reduce their number. This would also be the only “effective” barrier measure on immigration, among all those which have been voted on.
What would be the consequences ? The university tradition of welcoming would be flouted. The image that France would broadcast to the world would be that of a country curled up on itself. While we need skills and talents, these will go elsewhere. The links with former students trained in France and returned to their countries will be undermined. Not sure that the brand new and brilliant director of the Pasteur Institute, Yasmine Belkaid, of Algerian origin, would have chosen to continue her university studies in France under the regime of the return deposit provided for by law. For those who nevertheless attempt the adventure, increased administrative hassles and financial insecurity will be there. This provision is as shocking as it is counterproductive. It testifies to a profound misunderstanding of the interests of our country on the part of those who imagined it. Let us express the hope that reason will ultimately prevail over political considerations of a populist nature.
The abolition of the AME, a health absurdity
The Senate passed a law in November which calls into question state medical aid (AME), a system which allows under conditions – duration of stay (three months) in France and resources – to treat undocumented people . This system, in addition to the universal social coverage system and complementary solidarity health insurance (CSS), allows anyone in the region to have access to the care they require. It is to the honor of France. AME only represents around 0.5% of health expenditure, or approximately 1.2 billion euros (in 2022). Restricting this benefit would be an additional dissuasive measure against immigration likely to avoid “medical tourism”, even though sick foreigners only represent 1% of residence permit holders!
Many caregivers spoke out against the restrictive measures of the AME transformed into AMU (emergency medical aid). Its implementation would lead private doctors and pharmacists to no longer receive undocumented immigrants, and hospital caregivers to only treat them urgently! The health situation of these people would automatically be worsened and the risk of the spread of infectious diseases within the entire population will be increased, from tuberculosis to future pandemics… The prevention efforts that are rightly put forward would also be weakened. The absurdity of this measure, beyond any ethical consideration, should lead us to abandon it. The government has indicated that it wants to maintain the AME but conceded to a parliamentary discussion on it this month.
Let us add that several measures of the Immigration law, leading to a restriction of social benefits for foreigners in a legal situation, are likely to accentuate situations of precariousness whose effects on the state of health, in particular of children, are unfortunately only too well known. Immigration is a sufficiently serious subject to justify a national debate based on objective data rather than laws or bills likely to weaken the country’s image in the world and the health of its population.
Alain Fischer is president of the Academy of Sciences and co-founder of the Institute of Genetic Diseases.
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