Nearly 16,500 foreigners placed in detention centers in France in 2025

Tuesday 19 May 2026 - 08:30

France recorded nearly 16,500 placements of foreign nationals in administrative detention centers during 2025, according to a report published by several migrant support organizations.

The annual study, produced by groups including France terre d'asile and La Cimade, highlighted growing concerns about the length of detention and the effectiveness of deportation policies.

According to the report, 16,467 individuals were held in the 22 detention centers located in mainland France, slightly more than in 2024. However, only 36% of detainees were ultimately deported, meaning that a majority were released without expulsion after spending weeks or months in detention.

The average detention period has more than doubled over the past five years, reaching approximately 33 days in 2025 compared with around 17 days in 2020. More than 2,000 individuals remained detained for up to 90 days, which is currently the maximum legal duration for most cases.

Most detainees were placed in detention following police identity checks, while others were transferred directly after leaving prison. The report noted that nationals from three North African countries represented the largest groups detained: Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.

The organizations criticized what they described as an increasingly punitive detention system that does not significantly improve deportation rates. According to the report, most expulsions occur during the first few weeks of detention, while longer detention periods rarely lead to additional removals.

The issue is expected to remain central in French political debates as the Senate examines a proposed law that would extend the maximum detention period to seven months for certain individuals considered serious threats to public order.

Supporters of the proposal argue that longer detention periods could improve national security and facilitate deportations in complex cases. Human rights organizations, however, warn that extended detention risks undermining fundamental rights and increasing pressure on detention facilities.