near Toulouse, a center for worried migrants
In Saint-Lys north of Toulouse, residents are worried about the installation of a center for migrants. A return preparation center is due to open soon in the former retirement home to accommodate 120 people whose asylum applications have been rejected, between one and three months before being expelled from the territory. For its part, the town hall denounces a disproportionate project for this town of 9,000 inhabitants.
“It’s too crowded”
“It displeases me enormously, with all the nuisances that it can cause. Thefts, assaults… it worries”. This return preparation center, like many Saint-Lysiens, Gérard does not want it. On the pediment of the town hall, one can read in large letters “No to the project imposed by the State”. In the spring of 2021, without ever having been consulted, the city discovered that this center was going to see the light of day.
The mayor, Serge Deuilhé, is not opposed to welcoming these foreigners whose asylum application has been rejected until they return to their country, but not as much. “We are ready to host a game, but not at this level,” he reasoned. “That’s too many people. And when we are opposed to economic profitability, I believe that we are not talking about profitability. Participate but in a reasoned way.” He would preserve that his village is not the only one put to contribution.
A growing fear of the unknown among the inhabitants
Initially the center was to accommodate 160 people, then the prefecture proposed 120. But for Pierre, the main problem is that unlike a detention center, it will not be closed. “They could come in and out as they want. People are starting to get interested in how they are going to secure their homes. Put cameras and presence detectors. It’s starting,” says Pierre. “It’s the madness that is starting to grow. Saint-Lys is not made for that.”
Cathy, she is not there but she fears for the tranquility of this small peri-urban town. “We already have petty criminals hanging around the square at night, during the day… so we wonder what these people are going to do. We understand that we have to reach out, help them, but it’s been a little little scared. Afterwards we are always afraid of foreigners, maybe it will be fine.” A public meeting is to be held next Monday with the prefecture and the private Adoma group which will be in charge of managing the center to allow residents to express their concerns.