Sans papiers, les

   expression used to refer to those who would be known as "illegal immigrants" in English-speaking countries. Sans papiers, literally people without papers, are aliens who are in France without having the required residence or work permits. Though accurate figures are impossible to establish, 2009 estimates put the number of sans-papiers in France at between 200,000 and 400,000. Recent governments have adopted increasingly firm policies with regard to the expulsion of illegal immigrants, but there has been no noticeable drop in the number of sans papiers in French cities. In 2009, French residency was granted to almost 7,000 sans papiers whose children were officially enrolled in school in France.