Voluntary return or voluntary repatriation is usually the return of an illegal immigrant or over-stayer, a rejected asylum seeker , a refugee or displaced person , or an unaccompanied minor ; sometimes it is the emigration of a second-generation immigrant who makes an autonomous decision to return to their ethnic homeland when they are unable or unwilling to remain in the host country.
33-553: The European Refugee Fund ( ERF ) was a scheme designed to facilitate the sharing of the financial costs of the reception, integration and voluntary repatriation of refugees amongst European Union member states. All EU member states apart from Denmark participated in the ERF. The Fund financed both national and transnational projects, including providing skills and language training to refugees, improvements to reception facilities and refugee resettlement or relocation operations. The ERF
66-524: A 'Voluntary Return Plan'. Mainly targeting immigrants from South America , the Spanish labour ministry identified around 100,000 individuals from 19 countries which would be eligible for the scheme. In 2011, Anna Terrón , Secretary of State for Immigration, claimed the scheme "helps everyone if those who want to return to their country of origin are able to." [REDACTED] Sweden – in August 2007,
99-427: A 10,000 kroner "bonus" to leave the country voluntarily, in addition to the 20,000 kroner already offered per person. Sylvi Listhaug , Integration Minister of Norway, claimed the move might "entice" immigrants to "voluntarily travel back by giving them a bit more money on their way out". [REDACTED] Spain – in 2008, struggling from recession and with unemployment towards 30%, the Spanish government proposed
132-549: A constant struggle." In August 2010 following an earlier fatal incident involving travellers and gendarmerie at Thésée, near St. Aignan, Loir et Cher, Hortefeux has vigorously pursued a policy of destroying illegal travellers' camps and imposing conditions for voluntary repatriations of Roma (or gypsies) to Romania and Bulgaria, a considerable number of which are in progress. A circular emanating from his office (chief of staff : Michel Bart) on 5 August 2010, specifically mentioning an ethnic criterion for these deportations provoked
165-522: A policy of confiscating any property of illegal immigrants with a value over 1,000 Swiss francs. However, the 2016 policy included an incentive for migrants to return to their country of origin, with the SEM stating that "if someone leaves voluntarily within seven months this person can get the money back and take it with them." [REDACTED] United Kingdom – in 2006, asylum seekers and illegal immigrants were offered up to £3,000 per individual to leave
198-442: A right to expel or welcome immigrants on a discretionary basis, citing as evidence the high unemployment and criminality rates of foreigners. He also points to the geographical concentration of foreigners in a small number of towns as evidence that they are not integrated in the country. As he declared in the newspaper Le Parisien on 8 November 2007: "France has the right to choose which immigrants it can accommodate... Let's muster
231-497: Is Catholic, he eats pork and drinks beer! Hortefeux – Oh really? Well, he does not match the prototype at all! Female voice – He is one of us... he is our little Arab. Hortefeux – We always need one! When there is only one, it's okay. It's when there are many that problems begin. In June 2010, a French court found Hortefeux guilty of a racial insult, and fined him 750 euros with an order to donate 2,000 euros to an anti-racism group. Hortefeux' lawyer said that they would appeal
264-734: Is a conservative French politician . He was Minister of the Interior , Overseas Territories and Territorial collectivities. He was previously Minister for Labour, Labour Relations, the Family, Solidarity and Urban Affairs and Minister-Delegate for Local Government at the Ministry of the Interior and was a Member of the European Parliament from 2011 to 2024. Hortefeux was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine , Hauts-de-Seine but
297-463: Is open to asylum seekers and third-country nationals who want to return to their country of origin or to voluntarily emigrate to a third world country. As this program is voluntary, one can retract their application if ever they change their mind. Applicants are offered travel support, including counselling prior to departure, assistance during their flight and travel cost. Applicants are also offered some monetary compensation to get them to their home from
330-726: Is spontaneous and independent without assistance. The concept of voluntary repatriation was first developed in the 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa . It was agreed that: The UNHCR and the IOM offer assistance to refugees who want to return voluntarily and to other people in need of support for returning to their home countries. This includes administrative, logistical, financial and reintegration support. Many developed countries also provide assistance and voluntary return programmes independent from
363-989: The Union for a Popular Movement , he was part of the European People's Party group. During his time at the European Parliament, he sat on the Committee on International Trade , was a substitute for the Committee on Budgets and was a member of the delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union . As part of a reorganization of the UMP's leadership under their chairman Jean-François Copé in January 2013, Hortefeux became – alongside Christian Estrosi , Henri de Raincourt , Jean-Claude Gaudin , Roger Karoutchi and Gérard Longuet – one of
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#1732797157277396-617: The Canadian government opted to not renew their 'Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration' pilot program in early 2015, after an evaluation by the Canada Border Services Agency . The program sought to reduce the number of failed asylum appeals and incentivize voluntarily leaving the country, but did not achieve all its objectives. [REDACTED] United States – in 2018, the American government announced
429-538: The French government started an enhanced scheme offering €6,000 per immigrant family to return to their country of origin. Brice Hortefeux , Immigration Minister, stated that France "must increase this measure to help voluntary return". In 2016, in response to the European migrant crisis , the government had rapidly risen the offer from €350 to €2,500 per individual. In 2017, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb reconfirmed
462-514: The IOM and the UNHCR. Support includes making travel arrangements and paying for the journey. Support may also include financial support so that returnees can make sustainable investments and can build their lives again. Connecting people with networks and groups in the country of origin so that they will get support from local organisations. When one takes part in assisted voluntary return programs (AVR),
495-488: The Israeli government withhold 20 percent of asylum seekers' wages, in an attempt to encourage individuals to leave the country, where they will have access to the funds upon return to their homeland. The scheme was launched from May 2016, and currently applies to asylum seekers from Sudan and Eritrea . [REDACTED] Japan – after the 2008 recession , Japan initiated a policy of paying unemployed workers to leave
528-754: The Republic of Ireland government began offering repatriations grants to immigrants from nations outside the European Union to return home. The move was motivated by the Irish economic recession , with the EU-funded project attempting to "persuade foreign workers and asylum seekers to return to their country of origin". [REDACTED] Italy – in 2013, the Italian government offered African migrants, mainly from Ghana, Libya and Togo, up to €500 to leave
561-526: The Swedish government began offering asylum seekers who were rejected permanent residency the equivalent of £3,500 per immigrant for a voluntary return to their country of origin. This resulted in a record 4,542 immigrants taking part in the scheme, and returning home in the first 8 months of 2016. [REDACTED] Switzerland – the Swiss government, following in the footsteps of Denmark, began
594-553: The airport. Financial support is also offered to aid in the reintegration process, partially funded by the European Return Fund. [REDACTED] Denmark – with a history of financially incentivising the voluntary return of immigrants, Denmark raised the amount to 100,000 kroner per person (around €13,000 EUR or US$ 20,000 ) in 2009. Peter Skaarup , deputy leader of the Danish People's Party , explained
627-579: The applicant is giving up their claim as a refugee or asylum-seeker. Many times this includes a five-year travel ban restricting the individual from returning to the host country, similar to deportation. According to interviews with IOM workers and files on return migrants who took part in their program, it is not uncommon for return migrants to feel pressured into applying to AVR programs due to financial hardships, lack of employment, fear of deportation, etc. [REDACTED] Belgium – Return and Emigration of Asylum Seekers Ex Belgium programme: This program
660-459: The commitment to raise the monetary offer for immigrants to leave France. [REDACTED] Germany – with 35,000 voluntary returns in 2015, Germany allocated an extra €150 million over three years for migrants willing to return to their homelands. The policy saw an increase to 55,000 repatriations in the first year. In February 2017, under the 'Starthilfe Plus' scheme, immigrants were offered up to €1,000 each, or €3,000 to families, to leave
693-464: The country and travel onwards to Germany, France or northern European nations. Detlef Scheele , Hamburgs social affairs minister, dealing with multiple arrivals from Italy, declared that the immigrants had "no legal right to stay" and would return to Italy or back to their home countries. [REDACTED] Norway – in 2016 the Norwegian government offered the first 500 asylum seekers to take
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#1732797157277726-501: The country and withdraw applications for asylum or residency. As of October 2017, 8,639 immigrants had returned home via the government program. In December 2017, under the slogan "Your country. Your future. Now!", the German government began offering grants for new kitchens and bathrooms, as well as one year's worth of paid rent, in the country of origin of an immigrant choosing to return home. [REDACTED] Ireland – in 2009,
759-531: The country, mainly targeting the Latin American Dekasegi population for voluntary return. The incentivised scheme offered $ 3,000 (USD), plus $ 2,000 per dependent, and came with additional clauses that children of the returnee ( second-generation immigrants) would not be able to later emigrate to Japan regardless of circumstance. Brice Hortefeux Brice Hortefeux ( French pronunciation: [bʁis ɔʁtəfø] ; born 11 May 1958)
792-494: The country. Job training, education as well as travel costs were included in the scheme, with an expected uptake of 3,000 people, costing the British taxpayer an estimated £6.2 million. By 2010, the annual cost had risen to £16 million, with Immigration Minister Damian Green announcing a reduction from the 5-year delay on re-entry applications, to further incentivise quick voluntary repatriations. [REDACTED] Canada –
825-503: The courage to face our problems! Do you find it normal that 60% of immigrants are concentrated in only 3 of our 22 regions? That the unemployment rate of these people is 22% and that their children are dropping out of school? No, we will not accept this.". On M6 's TV show Capital , when asked if there were illegal immigrants in France, he replied: "If you dream of a country where there are only honest and clean citizens... In reality, it's
858-469: The end of temporary protected status (TPS) for 200,000 Salvadoran immigrants. The decision, implemented by President Donald Trump , gave an 18-month period for immigrants to find a legal route to staying in the U.S. or to return to their country of origin. The termination of TPS comes into effect on September 9, 2019, granting immigrants a grace period for voluntarily repatriation, before facing deportation beyond that date. [REDACTED] Israel –
891-696: The ire of ministerial colleagues such as Éric Besson and the European commissioner, Viviane Reding . An eirenic exchange with Cardinal André Vingt-Trois , the President of the French Bishops' Conference , representing contrasting reactions within the Catholic community, also ensued. Hortefeux served as a Member of European Parliament from 1999 to 2005 and again from 2011. He was first elected in 1999 and later reelected in 2004 and 2009. As member of
924-427: The numbers of illegal immigrants forcibly repatriated from France, extended the network of detention centres (established also outside the larger conurbations in smaller cities such as Blois) and modified the rights of individuals and organizations which visit them. He is in favor of controls on immigration. He was the promoter of a law that toughens conditions of political asylum in France. He believes that France has
957-567: The offer to €6,000 per family to leave the country, he claimed that the French government "must increase this measure to help voluntary return". On 10 September 2009, Le Monde disclosed a video showing Hortefeux at the UMP Summer School in Seignosse , France, on Saturday, 5 September 2009. As he posed for a photograph with a young man of Arabic origin, the following conversation can be heard (translation): Female voice – He
990-519: The party’s six vice-presidents. Ahead of the 2022 presidential elections , Hortefeux publicly declared his support for Valérie Pécresse as the Republicans’ candidate and joined her campaign team as special adviser on institutional reform. Hortefeux is a supporter of immigrant repatriation from France. He has supported and incentivised voluntary return , in his role as Immigration Minister of France, for immigrant families. In 2007, enhancing
1023-516: The scheme was aimed at immigrants from outside the EU and non- Nordic nations, targeting "nationals from non-Western countries who are struggling to adapt to Danish society ". The Danish government also allocated 20 million kroner for city councils, to "motivate foreigners to return home". [REDACTED] France – from 2005 around 3,000 immigrant families were paid to voluntarily leave France. By 2007, under newly elected President Nicolas Sarkozy ,
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1056-772: Was allocated €630 million in funding over the period 2008–13. It was set up in 2000, replacing previous ad hoc funding measures. In April 2014, the ERF, along with the European Integration Fund and the European Return Fund, was replaced by the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) established for the period 2014–20. This article about the European Union is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Voluntary repatriation The terms are used in slightly different contexts and can refer to: Some voluntary return programmes offer assisted voluntary return (AVR) and some voluntary return
1089-475: Was raised in Auvergne . Hortefeux is considered one of the most loyal political allies, and personal friend, of French president Nicolas Sarkozy . He is the godfather of one of Nicolas Sarkozy's sons. On 18 May 2007, he was appointed as the first Minister of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Cooperative Development in the government of Prime Minister François Fillon . As such he has boosted
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