BAYONNE (France), April 26: Police on the border between France and Spain say they have nabbed hundreds of illegal aliens — most of them from India and Pakistan — trying to take advantage of a Spanish amnesty. The window closes on May 7. It opened on Feb 7 to allow illegal immigrants in Spain, many of whom make a perilous crossing from north Africa in unseaworthy craft, to regularize their situation.

More than 100 illegal immigrants arrived at the Biriatou border post, in southwestern France, on Monday in minibuses driven by Spanish police. They were handed over to French police.

Another 100 or so were nabbed on Saturday, the French border police said, adding that dozens of others had crossed the border into Spain in cars, by train, and even on foot.

“These clandestine immigrants are hoping to obtain permanent resident status in the European Union,” a French police officer said, adding that the Spanish authorities feared the rush would keep going right up to the May 7 deadline.

The influx has surprised authorities because the amnesty applies only to immigrants who have been living in Spain since August last year and hold a work contract.

Illegal immigrants handed over to the French police at Biriatou are taken to a police station in the nearby town of Hendaye for questioning.

Many of the Indians and Pakistanis, all of them men, and mostly young, have come from Germany or Italy, or from Paris.

They claim they do not speak English or any mainland European language, and the local police have no access to Urdu or Hindi interpreters.

That means the police are unable to notify them that they want to hold them longer for questioning, and are therefore obliged to let them go without starting any expulsion procedure, an official said.

No organization is looking after them, and dozens have congregated at the Hendaye railway station — many of them broke — to try to work out what to do next.

Others continue to arrive, paying taxi-drivers 100 euros (130 dollars) to take four or five of them over the border.—AFP