A new immigration bill introducing possible DNA tests for foreigners who want to join relatives in France has been adopted by parliament.
Like many western nations, France permits extended families to rejoin via immigration. The question in law has only to do with proof of family.
It sets out tougher condition for immigrants to be reunited with families in France that could include DNA tests to prove kinship.
France’s Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux dismissed the fears, saying 12 other European countries already had similar testing procedures.
Socialist deputy Arnaud Montebourg said: “This law violates the fundamental principles of the republic which do not define family and affiliation by biology.”
I’m not exactly certain how and why “principles of the republic” should contradict or supercede principles of genetics?
I can’t speak about “principles of the republic”, but as the father of several adopted children I can say that genetics is not the only way to “define family and affiliation “.
Well, if they permit “extended families” to immigrate, that would include aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and beyond. They might not be blood kin to the Frenchie in question, but they’re certainly part of the extended family. And, as #1 pointed out, so are adopted children.
1984 is starting to look like the Declaration of Independence right about now. If only we had as little Big Brother technology watching over us as Orwell imagined. Cripes.
I bet the Republikkkan party is jealous right now.
French citizenship is given by birth in France. It’s been like that for like, centuries (maybe Romans ?) If you start to define the Frenchness of someone through his biology/ADN/whatever, it’s a complete change, and a betrayal of the principles of French Republic. And it’s paranoid. And it’s really costly. And most of all, stupid.
#4 Nobody is suggesting that. TFA is about using DNA to make sure that the people France allows to immigrate to the country under their laws that allow family members of those in the country to do so are, in fact, family members.
#5 You are mistaken. It is about immigrant families being reunited. That doesn’t mean anyone is banned from immigrating even if they don’t have any previous affiliation with France.
Um–my wife and I are probably only distantly related by genetics (Irish ancestry), but we do have a piece of paper that says we’re married. The rule makes no sense. But then, when have the French ever made much sense?
#7. The French have always been very sensible people. They’re just missunderstood on account of their unfathomable language. As far as the subject is concerned, the principles of the Republic are fraternal.
If this kind of DNA test was strictly applied to those leaving the United States. Then only children of medical doctors would be allowed into some country. Because of all the sperm donations by Med School students, you see. That would skew the stats towards their genetic line. Between adoptions and sperm donation, a lot of Americans wouldn’t pass this dumb test. Ironic huh? That countries like France came up with this, ignoring the problems, smacks of the old Nazi idea of screening for racial purity. Are their collective heads still stuck up their 1940s asses?