Having arrived in France as a minor to flee domestic violence in Ivory Coast, young Siriki settled in Dunkirk, in northern France, in 2019. The apprentice cook has already been notified of two Obligations to leave French territory (OQTF), despite obtaining his CAP and a successful integration.

“He’s always smiling. Except when he has a problem. Like everyone else, it shows on his face,” sighs Thibault, the owner of the restaurant where Siriki* works. Last October, this young man encountered more than just a problem. His whole world darkened, threatening to collapse. The 23-year-old Ivorian was issued a deportation order (OQTF) when he went to renew his residency permit. The court ultimately ordered a review of his application after the intervention of his lawyer, whose fees were covered by a local outpouring of support.

The young African has nothing to reproach himself for since his arrival in Dunkirk (northern France) in 2019, when he was a minor: Siriki obtained his professional aptitude certificate (CAP) in cooking in 2022, multiplied internships in restaurants that lacked manpower and joined as an apprentice the team of a prestigious establishment, as part of his professional baccalaureate.

"At work, he's a very kind and meticulous person, always on time," says Thibault. Quite an achievement, considering what he went through before setting foot in France: a journey of exile spanning more than 7,000 kilometers through Libya, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Italian mountains. "I only realized what I had been through when I arrived," explains the young man, miming a head exploding with his hands.

"Afraid of everyone"

Born in Ivory Coast, Siriki never knew his mother. "My father kicked her out of the house to take in another woman, who hurt me badly. She left me with burns, the marks of which I still bear on my body," Siriki reveals. This violence forced him to leave home as a teenager to try to "join other family members in Paris." He then experienced the desert, where "some collapse from lack of water." He also faced insecurity in Libya, a perilous gateway to the European Union, which offers no respite to those who, like him, have "taken to the road." And he found mutual support among fellow travelers: "On this journey, everyone is struggling. So we stick together as best we can," he recalls.

After crossing the Mediterranean Sea, he traveled up through Italy, crossing "mountains and forests" to reach France via Briançon. The Ivorian was arrested by police in 2018 and taken in by charities. He was 16 years old. "I was afraid of everyone," recalls Siriki, traumatized by his exile. "I thought I'd see my aunt when I arrived at the Gare de Lyon in Paris, but no one was waiting for me." It was finally in Dunkirk that he took his first French lessons, found accommodation, and started working in a kitchen.

Educated, but far away

Overcoming all these challenges doesn't represent a "success" for Siriki, who had to leave his native country in the hope of a better future. "My only desire is to have a stable situation so I can settle down and start a family," the apprentice chef explains. It's been an uphill battle, even in France. As soon as he turned 18, Siriki received his first deportation order while he was still in school. "Normally, this doesn't happen to young people under the care of Child Welfare Services (ASE) who are committed to a career path," recalls a teacher at Siriki's high school in Dunkirk. The deportation order was eventually lifted, as the young man continued his studies and obtained his vocational diploma (CAP).

The Ivorian continued his schooling by enrolling in a vocational baccalaureate program, secured an apprenticeship contract, and obtained a temporary worker's permit in 2024. However, his renewal was refused last October by the prefecture, which accompanied its decision with a new deportation order. "He was scared. Fifteen days went by before he told us," recalls Thibault, his boss. "It devastated him. So we helped him." An online fundraiser was launched by one of his teachers, and solidarity did the rest: colleagues, associations, and anonymous donors enabled him to be represented by a lawyer, who obtained an injunction in November to suspend the prefect's order.

"Here to work"

"The prefect had made the renewal of his residency permit conditional on obtaining his vocational baccalaureate, which he narrowly failed last year. However, this request is illegal," Siriki's lawyer points out. "Our defense focused primarily on this legal error. Moreover, failing an exam is not sufficient grounds for refusing a residency permit."

While awaiting a review of his application, Siriki can continue working and preparing for his vocational baccalaureate, which he is retaking this year. But he's far from free. "These obstacles are exhausting. How can anyone integrate under these conditions?" he wonders. One of his teachers agrees: "These young people, some of whom don't speak French, take the same classes as other students in France. They're expected to perform just as well, even though everything is more difficult."

Without a residence permit, Siriki could "lose everything" even though he lives, works, and has "made very good friends" in France. His story is reminiscent of the tragedy of Mamadou Garanké Diallo from Guinea : targeted by a deportation order, this young apprentice butcher, well-integrated in Normandy, had resigned himself to crossing the Channel to England and was found dead last year near Dunkirk.

"I have more ties here than in my country of origin," Siriki notes. And his boss is counting on him: "He's here to work. His presence brings richness and diversity," says Thibault. Who is waiting for only one thing: the end of this absurd blockade, to see Siriki smile again.

*The first name has been changed.