French Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux hailed as a success on Tuesday the removal of close to 30,000 illegal migrants from France last year, but civil rights groups branded his policies inhumane.

Mr Hortefeux, a close friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy, says his policies allow France to choose which migrants it hosts, but human rights campaigners say the reality is a repressive strategy designed to appeal to right-wing voters.

"Yes, I am proud of ensuring that the laws of my country are respected and applied," Mr Hortefeux told a news conference when asked whether he was proud to have exceeded Mr Sarkozy's controversial expulsions target.

Mr Sarkozy, who as interior minister before he was president took a tough approach to security issues, had asked Mr Hortefeux to ensure at least 26,000 illegal migrants were removed from mainland France last year.

He said the figure achieved was 29,796, up 29 per cent compared with 2007. Two thirds were expulsions while one third were "voluntary returns" in which migrants were persuaded to go home with a small amount of money to help them.

Rights activists say the 26,000 target was arbitrary and it put pressure on police, immigration officers and other state officials to use tougher and tougher tactics.

"From our point of view, the policies implemented have mostly contributed to reinforcing repressive measures," said nine organisations active in the field.

They recalled the torching by detainees of France's biggest detention centre for migrants awaiting expulsion, at Vincennes just outside Paris, on June 22 last year.

"A consequence of the obsession with the expulsions target, the revolt of the illegal migrants detained at Vincennes is the symbol of the daily misery inflicted by the state on tens of thousands of migrants," the civil rights groups said.

They called for a change of course when Mr Hortefeux leaves the immigration ministry. He is widely expected to take on a new portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle later this week. He has even been tipped as a possible Prime Minister in the future.

"With one eye fixed on the opinion polls and a direct line to the presidency, Brice Hortefeux can now continue his career. The challenge of migration, meanwhile, has not been met by France or by Europe," said France Terre d'Asile, which defends the rights of asylum seekers.

In what appeared to be a valedictory news conference as immigration minister, Mr Hortefeux defended his record, saying his basic principles on immigration policy had been adopted by the EU in the form of a pact signed in October.

He also recalled that he had travelled 22 times to Africa and had signed bilateral agreements with eight African countries which agreed to cooperate with France in combating illegal migration in return for support for development projects.

None of these arguments swayed human rights groups.

"The minister put serious pressure on African countries to sign deals under which they accept more easily the return of their nationals," said the joint statement from the nine groups.

Factbox

Following are some details released by French Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux on France's immigration record:

• Legal immigration

The number of residency permits delivered to immigrant workers coming to France to take up jobs was 33,034 last year, up 23 per cent compared with 2007. Of these, 7,145 were for people from new EU member states like Romania and Bulgaria.

The number of residency permits delivered to immigrants coming to France to join relatives was 85,800 last year, down 11 per cent compared with the previous year.

These figures are in line with President Nicolas Sarkozy's goal of increasing "professional immigration", Mr Hortefeux said.

• Integration of immigrants

New policies to help integrate immigrants into French society include classes for parents of schoolchildren, to help them learn French and understand how the school system works so they can better support their children. The classes are being experimented in 28 schools and 980 parents are taking part.

Would-be immigrants are being tested in their countries of origin on knowledge of French language and culture.

More than 1,000 people have been tested in Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey since December 1 and the aim is eventually to test 30,000 people a year all over the world.

• Illegal immigration

Last year, 4,314 people were arrested for exploiting illegal migrants, of whom 1,562 were human traffickers and 861 were abusive landlords. Arrests were up 25 per cent year-on-year.

A total of 29,472 illegal migrants were prevented from entering French territory, up 11 per cent compared with 2007.

A total of 29,796 illegal migrants already present in mainland France were removed, up 29 per cent from 2007, while a further 23,568 illegal migrants were sent away from France's overseas territories, down 11 per cent from the previous year.

• Asylum

France received 42,513 applications for asylum in 2008, up 20 per cent from 2007, and Mr Hortefeux said it was the highest number in any European country.

France granted 11,461 of applicants asylum rights, an increase of 30 per cent compared with the previous year.

A total of 140,000 people have asylum rights in France.