France to reduce visas for North Africans in migration spat

By ANGELA CHARLTON
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — A French government spokesperson says France plans to reduce the number of visas issued to people in North Africa because governments there are refusing to take back deported migrants. Radio network Europe-1 reported Tuesday that the French government expects to reduce the number of visas given to Algerians and Moroccans by half, and those given to Tunisians by 30%. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said France decided to take action because Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia had refused to provide consular documents for their citizens who were being deported from France after arriving illegally. All three North African countries were part of France’s colonial empire, and many migrants from there have family ties in France.