France to tighten immigration controls after riots

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

PARIS (Reuters) - Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced plans on Tuesday to tighten immigration controls in response to France's worst urban rioting in almost 40 years.

He proposed a longer wait for citizenship for foreigners who marry French people, a tougher selection process for students visiting France and close checks on immigration by families joining a foreign worker already living in the country.

"The government will act firmly and with a sense of responsibility," Villepin told reporters after a ministerial meeting on immigration control.

He also called for tight policing of polygamy, which is illegal in France but some center-right politicians say was one of the causes of the unrest because children from large polygamous families have problems integrating into society.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2005-11-29T174124Z_01_SIB963053_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-IMMIGRATION.xml&rpc=22

[formerrepuke]

1. They're about 50 years too late; the problem is fully homegrown now.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. It's really just an excuse...

...to curb immigration. Some of these measures have absolutely nothing to do with rioters and social integration and everything to do with simply making it harder to go to France.