Closed borders and xenophobic policies don't create jobs

Downing Street has not confirmed the exact details of the discussions, but growing tensions in Calais - particularly following the destruction of the "jungle" camp that housed more than 6,000 migrants - as well as continuing Brexit negotiations, the agreement is likely to be on the agenda, as controlling migration seems to be an obsession for both leaders.

Migrants and solidarity groups on both sides of the channel are not expecting a positive outcome of any negotiations that may follow the talks.

May has a long track record of a brutal approach to migrants, both as Home Secretary and now PM; from deporting thousands of international students, effectively imprisoning countless refugees in detention centres across the UK, to increased border controls in her ongoing attempts to considerably cap migration. 

Earlier this week, Macron visited Calais just days after the local Mayor, Natacha Bouchart, made the outrageous claim that aid organisations were effectively legitimising and justifying their existence through the migrants living in the city.

Some might have expected a response to such defamation by the mayor, but Macron's focus seemed to lie more on the former "jungle" than her comments. Indeed, in the run up to the meeting he stressed that the migrant camp will never be allowed to return. 

In a slightly contradictory manner, he promised to both ensure a quicker asylm process and housing so that there is a more "dignified and humane" treatment of migrants in France, while also making clear his legislative plans will mean a heavy-handed approach towards those fleeing to France-especially if they are seeking a life in the UK. 

Bouchart truly sees refugees like animals: Don't feed them and they will leave

There was a heavy sense of pessimism shared by refugee and migrant solidarity movements working in the area as the whole affair was accused of being a staged migration discussion between leaders, with the outcomes set in advance.

L'Auberge des Migrants - one of the charities working in the region - refused to meet with the president in protest with his immigration policies which are due to be brought to the cabinet next month.

Macron's reaction was perhaps unsurprising, given his silence on not only the accusations made by the mayor, but also her total failure alongside the rest of the local authorities to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

Read more: Macron gets tough on migrants, vows 'no more Jungles'

In the months following the dismantling of the camp, instead of providing basic necessities including shelter, legal support and access to healthcare for the thousands of refugees who had fled horrendous conditions across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Bouchart ordered a ban on humanitarian aid, including food distribution or access to sanitary facilities for migrants.

She justified this deplorable action by claiming it was the best way to ensure that the jungle would not be rebuilt, and therefore maintain "peace and security" in the area. Bouchart truly sees refugees like animals: Don't feed them and they will leave.

Government forces in Calais have a reputation for brutality towards migrants who have increasingly moved closer to the city. Indeed, they had nowhere else to go once their makeshift shelters were destroyed.

As reported by the Refugee Rights Data Project (RRDP), the arbitrary use of violence by the police through beatings and the use of CS gas whilst people sleep, is a further level of dehumanisation for the hundreds of refugees now forced to live on the streets.

It therefore added insult to injury that during Macron's visit, he set out his "firm" new approach, and failed to address their ill-treatment of migrants.

Mitch Mitchell, a volunteer from UK based group Refugee Lifeboat, has made countless trips to the region to provide aid and support. He states that "The mayor of Calais is disgusting. She is not a member of FN, but she may as well be". He recounts his own experiences with the riot police in Calais: 

"The CRS are vile. They love to use tear gas, pepper spray and clubs on both volunteers and refugees. I've been tear gassed twice and prodded with their batons, so much I had bruising on my back."

Mitchell also highlighted the systematic failures, even when such xenophobic practices are challenged. 

Following a successful court case brought by one of the volunteer groups which eventually decreed (by order of the judge) that food and water distribution could take place, it came to light that the points of distribution were limited to two areas.

In practice this meant a very long and arduous walk for those in need, restricting refugees' access to urgent amenities.

Macron and May aren't fighting migrants to protect their people. They are fighting migrants to protect themselves from their people

It is clear that the conditions in Calais and across France are worsening for migrants, and the new president has no intention of changing this.

If anything, it is feared that his proposals which include swifter "automatic" deportations, may lead to an increased use of violence and even fatality of those who have fled war, famine and poverty in the hope of a safe and better life. 

This, matched with Theresa May's plans to "minimise the impact of migration at the shared border" and her failure to implement the parliamentary amendment to the Immigration Act which committed the UK government to take in 3,000 child refugees, leaves many in fear of how a future agreement might look.  

Indeed, on both sides of the channel the approach is similar: Avoid the wrath of all those communities, workers, and students struggling under the growing regime of insecure jobs, cuts and privatisation of welfare provisions, and increased surveillance, by turning people's concerns and anger towards migrants and refugees. 

But closing borders and accepting xenophobic policies doesn’t create jobs or better the state’s welfare system.

Instead, it normalises repression, a lack of solidarity, and an "each for their own" logic.

Macron and May aren't fighting migrants to protect their people. They are fighting migrants to protect themselves from their people.

On both sides of the Channel we need increased solidarity, increased resistance and increased fight back to make sure they don’t get away with it, in Calais or anywhere else. 


Malia Bouattia is an activist, the former President of the National Union of Students, and co-founder of the Students not Suspects/Educators not Informants Network.

Follow her on Twitter: @MaliaBouattia

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.