France reports 'historic' 100,000 asylum applications in 2017

France has reported a "historic" record of asylum claims in the last year amid efforts by officials to legitimize deportations for asylum seekers who have come to the European country due to economic reasons.

Pascal Brice, head of refugee protection agency Ofpra, said on Monday that France saw a record 100,000 asylum claims in 2017, noting that the numbers were just half of those seen in neighboring Germany.

“It's a historic level,” Brice said, adding, “It confirms that France is one of the countries receiving the most asylum claims in Europe.”

He said the biggest group applying for asylum in France last year was from Albania, and arrivals from the country recorded a 66-percent jump compared to 2016.

Afghanistan came second with 6,000 applications, followed by Haiti, Guyana and Sudan.

Meanwhile, Syrians made up the next group with 3,000 applications, a 10-percent reduction from the previous year.

There was also a sharp increase in the number of applications from francophone West Africa, including Ivory Coast and DR Congo with most of them arriving in Europe from North Africa embarkation points, mainly Libya.

The rising trend comes amid efforts by President Emmanuel Macron's administration to pass new legislation on immigration, which could make it easier for authorities to reject asylum applications that are based on economic reasons. That would mean all Albanians would be deported as their home country is considered "safe” while almost all Syrians were granted asylum last year due to an ongoing conflict in the Arab country.

Macron’s plans to curb refugee arrivals also come against reports of police abuse of refugees in Calais, the site of former notorious "Jungle" camp in northern France, where many refugees hope to have an opportunity to cross into Britain.

SS