Arrived in France in 2012, Elvis is now threatened with deportation. While he must pass his French baccalaureate at the end of the year, his comrades and teachers are mobilizing so that Elvis can stay in France. This is not the first time that such a procedure concerns a student of this high school.
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“Elvis remains!” It is in the name of this slogan that around a hundred people, students and teachers alike, rallied in front of the Castel high school in Dijon on Monday, January 11.
Elvis is a young man of 17, a student in first class in high school. At the end of the school year, he must pass his French baccalaureate. But he lives under the daily threat of expulsion from the national territory.
“I am from Kosovo, I came here with my parents when I was twelve years old, says the young man. For the past five years, I have been working hard at school and today I am threatened with expulsion. It hurts my heart very much “.
30 days to leave the national territory
If Elvis and his parents are threatened today to leave the national territory, it is because asylum request formulated four years ago was recently rejected by the prefecture. On November 18, the family was therefore notified of their obligation to leave French territory. The appeal brought nothing and a new notification was signed on December 30, 2020.
From then on, the family has 30 days to leave France. The website of the Ministry of the Interior precise : “The obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) is the main expulsion measure that concerns foreigners. The decision is taken by the prefect, in particular in the event of refusal to issue a residence permit or illegal stay in France.”
So, to challenge this obligation to leave French territory, they were numerous in front of the gates of the school to chant slogans and show their unanimous support for this student described as “exemplary”.
“We have already held demonstrations and we will do more if necessary”
Student representative on the high school life council, Noé Péchoux is opposed to the scheduled expulsion of his comrade: ” We firmly oppose, with all the harshest words, this expulsion which for us is unjustifiable. We ask that he stay with us until his baccalaureate, that he can pass it quietly in a serene context and that he can obtain French nationality. “
Touched by the story of his friend, the elected student continues: “We hope to be able to meet Madam Rector and Mr. Prefect very soon. We hope that Mr. Prefect will reconsider his decision to expel Elvis and his family and that he will cancel the OQTF [obligation de quitter le territoire français].
If necessary, we are ready to activate more strongly. We have already held demonstrations and we will do more if necessary “.
Moved by the mobilization, the young man does not hide the importance of such support. Since his arrival in France, he has lived under the fear of deportation. “I’m afraid that all the work and the sacrifices I make with my parents will be thrown in the trash. When I saw all these people mobilize it gave me the smile and the courage to continue. restored energy to resist and stand up even though life didn’t want me to stand up. ” tells the student of Kosovar origin.
Faced with the many students and teachers, Elvis made a point of reading a letter to tell his story.
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© Léo-Pol Platet / France Televisions
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An online petition has been launched
For a week, a online petition was started by Nagib, a friend of Elvis. “When I heard that Elvis was threatened with deportation, it hurt me a lot, Nagib recalls. I did this on the first site that appeared. I did it because I know it goes really fast on social media and it could go up very quickly. I’m happy with it. Today we have 17,000 signatures, I hope that we will reach 25,000 before the end of the week “
On the petition website, Nagib specifies: “He’s one of the most serious people I know, he had a bright future and by no means less French than anyone. Elvis must stay in France and have his French baccalaureate is very important for him he cannot leave here without any diploma! “
I never plan to leave France, I want to stay here with my parents until the end of my days.
Today, Elvis and his parents are applying for a residence permit. They hope to be able to stay in France, where Elvis already imagines a bright future.
“I would very much but really would like to ask for nationality [française]. I want to stay here with my parents until the end of my life. I want to work here, I dream of being a chartered accountant. I want to reward France if they give me the papers while working and participating in building France with other citizens. I want to be a citizen like the others of this magnificent country. ”
Other high school students affected by an OQTF in the past
Elvis is not the first Castel pupil concerned by an obligation to leave French territory. Already in 2019, G., a young Malian was also under the influence of an OQTF. After a strong mobilization of the LAIC collective (Lycée d’Accueil International le Castel), its situation had been reassessed. He should receive his residence permit soon.
A few years earlier, another student, M., was involved in this same procedure. Since then, his situation has also been reassessed. She has a residence permit and works in France as a nurse, the LAIC collective tells us.
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