France's government welcomes rise in deportations

5/2/2025 6:18

France's government welcomed new data showing that deportations of migrants increased by more than a quarter last year, as it tries to curb immigration to contain a surge in far-right support.



The Interior Ministry released preliminary figures showing about 22,000 migrants living illegally in France were deported in 2024, an increase of nearly 27% on 2023.



Nearly 13,000 people living illegally in France were forcibly removed from the country, about 5,000 were given assistance to leave the country and about 4,000 spontaneously left, according to the ministry.



Conservative Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has sought to crack down on migration and drug crime in an effort to win back voters from Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN).