For the 2010 DVD edition of RESF: a resistance network, we have worked out a glossary of key words heard in the films, related to France’s immigration policy. The information contained in this lexicon gives some context and details about the events recounted in the films.

• Glossary
• Border Police
• CESEDA
• Cimade
• Civic sponsorship
• Criminal Solidarity
• Deportation
• Detention centre
• Freedom and Detention Judge
• June 13th 2006 Bill
• Prefecture
• Refusing to board
• RESF
• Undocumented immigrants


• Sources

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS

An undocumented immigrant is an “irregular alien”. This juridical status defines the situation of a foreigner present on a state’s national territory without a valid visa or residence permit. This situation can happen in different ways: after entering illegally on national territory, by remaining on the territory after the visa or residence permit expires or after the prefecture refuses renewal.
The illegal nature of this stay denies the foreigner in this situation access to most rights: the right to move freely, to study beyond high school, to work legally and sometimes to receive healthcare.
An undocumented immigrant is not necessarily lacking identity documents (ID card or passport from originating country). On the contrary, most undocumented immigrants carry a lot of administrative documents that they gather while seeking regularisation.

> Sources
- Brochure - La Cimade : « Petit guide pour lutter contre les préjugés sur les migrants » - 2008
- http://fr.wikipedia.org/