The Washington Times reports:

An amnesty for foreign students who are in France illegally expires with the end of the school year tomorrow, making tens of thousands of youths eligible for deportation and prompting cries of alarm from left—wing and pro—immigrant groups.

Even as surveys show that many Frenchmen approve of tough new immigration legislation drafted by the center—right government, they are uneasy at the prospect of expelling large numbers of school—age children.а

Teachers and parents are helping some affected students prepare last—ditch appeals for regularization and hiding others. Leftist politicians are pledging to protect illegal—alien children in showy "adoption" ceremonies at the French parliament and in town halls across the country.а

Even the airport unions have warned that they will actively oppose shipping illegal alien students to "home" countries that some have never seen.а

The legislation is the work of Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who won plaudits from many French voters with his tough response to weeks of riots last year by mainly Muslim youths in the nation's impoverished suburbs.

Many revolutionary leaders in the lesser—developed world have received their indoctrination from French "academics" (along with a healthy dose of anti—Americanism). If they were the target, this would be a welcome development. But it sounds as though many of these may be young students, possibly brought to France by their illegal immigrant parents.

Ed Laskyааа 7 3 06