Paris, April 25 (RHC)-- The French parliament has advanced an immigration bill introduced by President Emmanuel Macron that would toughen France’s immigration and asylum laws. 

The bill would shorten deadlines for migrants to apply for asylum, while doubling the time that authorities can detain them, to 90 days.  It would also allow for a 1-year prison term and fines for migrants found to have illegally crossed into France.  Children could also be jailed with their families. 

The legislation also continues a policy under which French citizens face fines and prison sentences for helping undocumented migrants—so-called crimes of solidarity, such as helping a migrant during a health emergency.