France Faces Record Immigration Levels Amid Judiciary Racism Scandal

In 2025, France witnessed a historic surge in legal immigration, with 384,000 first residence permits issued—a rise of 11.2% compared to 2024. The Ministry of the Interior's data highlights how immigration numbers have doubled since 2011, increasing the immigrant population from 7.3% in 1999 to 11.3% in 2024. This growth is driven by global crises including political violence, economic shocks, and climate change. Despite these figures, immigration debates remain polarized, with right and far-right parties stoking fears of an overwhelming influx, which experts say ignores that only 8.8% of the population is foreign-born and that one-third of French citizens have immigrant roots.

Concurrently, France's asylum judiciary is embroiled in controversy following a CGT report revealing racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks made by judges at the Cour nationale du droit d’asile (CNDA). The CNDA, which handled over 61,000 asylum decisions in 2024, faces serious accusations of undermining impartiality. Based on anonymous responses from 288 agents collected between July and September 2025, disturbing comments included stereotypes about Mauritanians and derogatory assessments of black women and LGBTQ+ individuals. The CGT condemned the conduct as a grave breach of judicial neutrality and ethical standards.

These developments have intensified calls for a more balanced immigration policy in France. Critics warn that restrictive proposals, such as further limiting regularization of migrants, risk exacerbating the hardships faced by asylum seekers and may fuel anti-immigrant sentiments that threaten human rights and democracy. The polarized atmosphere surrounding immigration dialogues belies complex demographic challenges and labor shortfalls that advocate for regulated immigration and stronger integration measures.

As immigration rises, the exposure of discriminatory attitudes within the asylum judiciary adds ethical urgency to France’s immigration discourse. The country faces a critical juncture in addressing both the humanitarian treatment of migrants and the integrity of institutions charged with protecting asylum rights.