In Rouen, Liri, 23, can't believe it. “I am speechless at this letter. I did not expect this at all. It is a very unpleasant surprise”she confides, adding: “I try to do everything right, I wish they would have a little bit of compassion.” Thursday, January 23 in the morning, this young Kosovar, in France for almost ten years, received by mail a new obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) from the Seine-Maritime prefecture. The third in four years.
To justify its decision, the prefecture argues that Liri “provides (…) no serious evidence capable of justifying the stability of his personal and family ties in France, as well as his living conditions and his integration into French society”. Rather surprising arguments when we look at the young woman's story, but which embody the toughening of France's immigration policy.
Liri arrived on French soil when she was 15, with her whole family. Since then, she has obtained her baccalaureate, enrolled in university and even obtained a degree in foreign languages. With her diploma in hand, she had a job interview to be a bilingual accountant in a large maritime transport company in Rouen. The salary, 1,850 euros, would have allowed her to pay rent, taxes… For her, “it was perfect”. With this promise of employment, Liri thought she could regularize her situation.
And for good reason. Since her asylum application was rejected five years ago, Liri found herself without a residence permit. At the end of 2020, his various appeals, in particular to Ofpra, ended in rejection from the French administration: on November 25, 2020, France notified him of a first OQTF. Liri is not discouraged. Three years later, she began new procedures with the prefecture to obtain regularization of her situation. A procedure without an appointment, only on file. New disillusionment: “I received this as an answer: an OQTF, obligation to leave the territory. It broke me inside.”
“His mistake was to say to himself: 'I've been offered a great job, I have a diploma that goes with the job, so we'll help me.' She went to report to the prefecture, ask for papers… and behind that, OQTF.”
Cécile Madeline, lawyerto “Further investigation”
To earn a little money, Liri now does a few hours of cleaning in private homes. “at 10 euros an hour, then [qu’elle a] a +3″ baccalaureate. His job as an accountant passed under his nose. The company gave up; in France, it is prohibited to employ an undocumented migrant.
“Additional investigation” tells the story of Liri, 23, who arrived in France at the age of 15
“Additional investigation” tells the story of Liri, 23, who arrived in France at the age of 15
(FRANCE 2)
Last October, the Rouen administrative court canceled this second OQTF, the arguments put forward by the prefecture being deemed illegal. At the request of the judges, a provisional residence permit, valid until February 20, 2025, was granted to Liri, who took advantage of this period of time to formulate a new request. His case, recounted in the program “Complément d'investigation”, was brought to the attention of the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, his advisors and the prefect of Seine-Maritime, Jean-Benoît Albertini. In a recorded message, Liri calls on the minister :
“Why do people like me (…) who are perfectly integrated into French society, who have studied, who have friends and even family in France find themselves receiving OQTFs?”
Liri to the Minister of the Interiorin “Additional investigation”
Questioned by Tristan Waleckx, the Minister of the Interior responded about the young woman's inextricable situation: “I don't know her particular case, and as a minister, I am accountable for the rule. And what I mean is that she used, on two occasions I believe, a path which been largely misused, which is the right to asylum, on two occasions the judge found him wrong (…).” And the minister clarified: “If tomorrow, our rules, our laws are violated, I will no longer be able, as Minister of the Interior, to regulate what the French ask me to regulate.”
Immigration: Liri calls on the Minister of the Interior
Immigration: Liri calls on the Minister of the Interior
(FRANCE 2)
Coincidence of the calendar or not, 48 hours later, Liri was notified of a new obligation to leave the territory. According to the administration, the young woman “does not work and is financially dependent on his brother, who also accommodates him (sic).” A reason which is puzzling since his second request for a residence permit, refused by the administration, was based on a promise of permanent employment. Liri is preparing to challenge this decision again in court.
