In a bid to tackle immigration issues, France’s new interior minister Bruno Retailleau has announced deportation flights to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), targeting illegal migrants in Mayotte, the French overseas island territory located near Madagascar.

Speaking on October 3, Retailleau emphasised that those who set foot illegally in France, whether on the mainland or its regions elsewhere, would not be allowed to stay.

“Those who have arrived illegally in mainland France or overseas regions are not destined to stay with us,” he said.

“When our borders are violated, it should be a criminal offence. We must expose ourselves to countermeasures.”

The minister stated then that starting in October, the Prefect of Mayotte would co-ordinate flights to repatriate illegal immigrants to DRC.

Reports by French media indicated that three flights have already been scheduled.

Retailleau also announced “bilateral security agreements with countries” in the Great Lakes region of Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania) to “stop the flow” of migrants.

He also pledged to continue the initiatives of former interior minister Gérald Darmanin, deploying an additional 1,156 police officers in Mayotte to reinforce security.

To further tighten immigration controls, Retailleau said he intended to extend the detention period for illegal immigrants in French administrative centres from 90 to 210 days.

He also stated that he aimed to limit the activities of State-funded human rights organisations operating in these centres, as these associations frequently provided legal advice and support to undocumented migrants facing deportation.

Retailleau added that he planned to transfer the responsibilities of one such, France Terre d’Asile, to the French Office of Immigration and Integration, an agency controlled by the government.

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