French bill would allow easy deportation of immigrants

French Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau resigned Wednesday to protest the new immigration policy. Lawmakers in the country’s parliament on Tuesday night gave their final approval to the measure that aims to make it easier to deport foreigners who are convicted of crimes. The legislation could also make it more difficult for migrants to bring their family members to France and delay their access to welfare benefits. At the same time, the law would also make it easier for some migrants to obtain residency permits to fill jobs in sectors that need labor. The policy still has to be officially signed into law.

What other immigration policies are changing in Europe? On Wednesday, leaders and top officials in the European Union agreed on the core elements of a pact that would ease the deportation of rejected asylum-seekers. Countries in southern Europe that receive more migrants could institute stricter asylum procedures under the deal. Inland countries could decide whether to accept a certain number of migrants or offer financial assistance to neighboring nations. The agreement still needs to be formally ratified.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins and Bethany Morawe’s report about how thousands of illegal immigrants are arriving at the Arizona-Mexico border.