Isère Prefecture Under Fire for Mishandling Immigrant Residency Renewals

The digitalization of the procedure for renewing residence permits in France, instead of being a panacea, represents a huge difficulty for immigrants who submit their applications to the prefecture of Isère. This prefecture is in the sights of foreigners and several immigrant aid associations, particularly the "Bouge Ta Pref" collective, who accuse it of being a "factory of undocumented immigrants". This collective, which brings together about fifty associations and unions, has decided to launch legal action against this prefecture due to the poor management of residence permit applications, reports the public radio France Bleu.

This collective has launched "legal proceedings with a hearing at the administrative court on March 24 to ask the prefecture to have a physical reception for users," says Martine Faure Saint-Aman, a member of the Cimade. Since March 2024, the prefecture has been asking foreigners wishing to renew their residence permits to only book their appointments online, even though the website is experiencing several bugs due to "massive congestion". As a result, obtaining an appointment could take several months. "Personally, I’ve been trying for months and months, I’ve only managed to make an appointment once," testifies Martine Faure.

"This is what we call the factory of undocumented immigrants," denounces the activist. According to her, not being able to renew residence permits can be the beginning of a drama for applicants who will become undocumented and then lose "their jobs, their homes, their children and also their rights." The "appointment booking is only possible on Friday evenings at 6pm," specifies this activist, noting that "hundreds" of applicants are waiting in front of their screens. She laments that only "about fifty" of them will ultimately manage to secure a slot.

Before digitalization, there were "400 people per day coming to the prefecture every day," Martine Faure also specified. This number has dropped to 50-60 people per day after the digital transition.

Questioned on this subject, the Isère prefecture, contacted by the French media, assured that it is developing a "new appointment booking tool," promising that it will be "deployed shortly." In the meantime, these foreigners who have not been able to renew their residence permit "are desperate on the streets [...] ," the activist laments.