Temporary Relief for Moroccan Mother Facing Deportation
A Moroccan mother of six, residing in Vesoul, located in France's Haute-Saône department, has received a crucial reprieve from deportation as the prefect suspended her removal order pending a final court decision. Nisrine Driouich, aged 40, was initially instructed to leave French territory by August 23. However, on August 19, the prefect of Haute-Saône intervened, granting her a temporary suspension of the expulsion order based on the premise that her legal avenues had not yet been fully explored.
Nisrine Driouich entered France irregularly in 2021 alongside four of her children to reunite with her husband, Abdemassad Driouich, who possesses a residence permit and is employed at the Stellantis plant in Vesoul. The couple subsequently welcomed two more children in France, a three-year-old daughter and a 21-month-old son, resulting in a family with six children ranging in age from 21 months to 17 years.
Legal Battles and Family Struggles
The prefecture denied her application for a residence permit in April 2025, leading to an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) issued on June 5, 2025. Furthermore, an assignment to residence mandated her to report to the Vesoul police station four times a week. On August 9, during a routine check-in at the police station, she was informed that her removal had been ordered. Consequently, she was taken to an administrative detention center in Metz. Although a flight to Morocco was scheduled for the following day, she fell ill en route to the airport, preventing her from boarding the flight.
A judge subsequently annulled her detention, ruling that the removal did not take into account the “best interest of the child,” specifically her 21-month-old son who is still being breastfed. In response, the prefect appealed the decision. Shortly after her release, Driouich received a new OQTF on August 15, which reinstated the August 23 deadline that has now been suspended due to the prefect's recent intervention.
The complexity of her situation lies in the inability to secure a residence permit due to a missing document; the refusal stemmed from her inability to provide a pay slip. As reported, potential employers have expressed a willingness to hire her but are awaiting her regularization before extending job offers.
Driouich has challenged the administrative tribunal of Besançon’s refusal to overturn both the permit denial and the removal order, but her initial request was denied. She has since appealed to the administrative court of appeal in Nancy, and a videoconference hearing took place on August 18, with a decision anticipated shortly. The prefect's suspension will remain in effect until the court reaches a conclusion.
Prior to the suspension, Driouich spoke candidly to France 3 ICI about her fears of separation from her children, stating, “I’m waiting for August 23. If I can stay with my children, it’s fine. If I can’t stay with my children after the 23rd, I would rather die, because it’s not easy for me to leave my children.” Her husband has also appealed to the prefect, urgently requesting assistance for his wife and children. He recently signed a permanent job contract that will require him to travel from Monday to Friday, leaving their children without care during that time. “I can’t leave my children,” he emphasized in his plea.
The emotional toll on the children has been significant, with a pediatrician’s report indicating the traumatic stress they are experiencing. They exhibit panic responses whenever the doorbell rings, fearing police intervention. The family remains integrated within the local community, with one daughter achieving a diploma from the Vesoul gymnastics club, while the eldest child is facing a pivotal year at Belin high school.
The case has garnered substantial local support, with the Alliance pour l’émancipation sociale, in collaboration with the CGT 70 union, organizing a rally outside the Vesoul prefecture on August 15 to advocate for her release and regularization.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
