The tragic situation of hundreds of so-called “undesirables” is occupying the attention of the French government and Jewish organizations here. The foreigners classed as undesirables are concentrated at Marseilles awaiting deportation chiefly because of technicalities such as the absence of a regular passport or permit to work, or because of physical disabilities or inability to find work.
Lack of funds prevents most of these unfortunates from leaving France while the consulates of their native countries are for the most part refusing to grant visas for their return. The situation is especially precarious for former citizens of Russia who are unable to return there and consequently are imprisoned for terms of one to six months for their failure to observe the deportation order. Immigration societies are making every effort to intervene in behalf of these foreigners.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.