Undocumented Immigrant in France Granted Residency After Heroic Rescue

"To salute this act of bravery, the prefect of Seine-et-Marne, Thierry Coudert, has decided to grant him an exceptional residence permit for private and family life," the prefecture said in a statement. Thus, Abderrahim Aissaoui, his wife and their four children aged 18 to 2 months will benefit from this residence permit.

"I received a call from the prefecture this Tuesday to tell me that I am summoned this Thursday to receive a residence permit. It’s a dream and it’s even on my birthday!" rejoices the Algerian, who will not fail to express a regret.

"My only regret is not having managed to obtain this residence permit a little earlier to see my mother one last time in Algeria. She was dying and was asking me if I could come back to see her one last time. But I couldn’t leave France at the risk of not being able to return and leave my children there," he confides to Le Parisien.

The 22-year-old woman says she is happy to have learned this news: "I am absolutely delighted for him, he really deserves it! He is a very humble person. Even though he saved my life, he told me that I had saved his life. During our hearing on Monday at the police station, he told me that I was like his daughter, we hugged and I burst into tears. I am very pleasantly surprised that the prefecture reacted so quickly to reward this civic act."