Palestinians and Europe's 'Refugee Crisis' Seeking Asylum in France in the Wake of the Syrian War

Abstract

This article examines French immigration policy through the experiences of Palestinians displaced by the war in Syria who are currently residing in France. In response to the Syrian refugee crisis, France has instituted an 'asylum visa' that enables refugees from Syria who are awarded the visa to travel legally from the Middle East to France to apply for asylum there. The asylum visa, also referred to as a 'humanitarian visa', extends to Syro-Palestinians. Humanitarian visas have been celebrated by some as a means by which individuals in need of international protection can seek asylum in Europe in a dignified and safe manner. I argue that it is too early to celebrate the French asylum visa. Indeed, evidence shows that steps to provide legal routes to Europe for asylum-seekers through humanitarian visas coexist with rather than overturn broader policies that seek to deter the majority of asylum-seekers from entering Europe.