New immigration law planned for early 2025

A strategic announcement from the government

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon revealed on BFMTV that the executive intends to submit a new immigration law “at the beginning of 2025”. This announcement comes barely a year after the adoption of a previous controversial text, which caused tensions within the majority in the National Assembly.

Necessary adjustments in the current context

The spokeswoman declared that “adjustments” were necessary, and that the government wished to present this new bill to Parliament in the coming months. This initiative follows the promulgation of the Immigration Act on January 26, which was adopted after heated debate within Parliament and the former presidential majority. At the time, despite a relative majority, the Macronist camp was able to pass the text thanks to the abstention of Rassemblement National deputies. However, the project had attracted internal criticism, with 20 Macronist deputies voting against and 17 abstaining, leading Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau to resign in disagreement with the law.

Key measures under study

Maud Bregeon mentioned that the new text could include a proposal by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to extend the detention of illegal foreigners. At present, the detention period is limited to 90 days, but this project envisages an extension of up to 210 days for people deemed to be at risk.

She also pointed out that this law could enable the regularization of undocumented workers in sectors experiencing labor shortages, a measure expected to meet economic needs.

Returning to previously censored provisions

The spokeswoman also mentioned the intention to reintroduce certain articles that had been rejected by the Constitutional Council in the previous bill, notably provisions concerning family reunification. She specified that these censures were due to problems of form and not substance, thus leaving the door open to future proposals inspired by political figures such as Laurent Wauquiez and Hervé Marseille.

Clear government position

Maud Bregeon confirmed that the Minister of the Interior also wishes to modify the Valls circular of 2012, which allowed prefects to regularize some 30,000 immigrants per year, by tightening conditions for regularizations based on family grounds.

In response to demands from Marine Le Pen for a strict immigration law, the government will have to gather support within the National Assembly, where it holds a relative majority, or consider the use of Article 49.3 to pass the law. However, Maud Bregeon asserted that the government will not seek support from the French people.