Convicted Moroccan Migrant Rapist Murders French Girl: Government's Open Borders and Deportation Failures Claim Another Life

In yet another heart-wrenching and preventable tragedy, 19-year-old Philippine, a student in Paris, has become the latest victim of France’s open-border policies. The suspect, 22-year-old Moroccan national Taha O., was arrested in Geneva this Tuesday after a brutal crime that has once again exposed the lethal consequences of France’s left-wing government’s immigration stance. Philippine was a bright young woman studying financial economics and engineering at Paris-Dauphine University, whose promising life was violently cut short last Friday in Paris.

Taha O., already known to French authorities for a history of violence and sexual offenses, had been sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a 23-year-old woman in 2019. Shockingly, despite his criminal record, he was not deported after serving his time but remained in the country—his presence is another undeniable failure of the French immigration system. Subject to an “Obligation to Leave French Territory” (OQTF), Taha had no legal right to be in France, but thanks to the leniency of current policies, he roamed freely.

Le suspect du meurtre de Philippine interpellé en Suisse: de nationale marocaine, l'homme de 22 ans fait l'objet d'une OQTF pic.twitter.com/mLH5LeEaa5

— BFM Paris Île-de-France (@BFMParis) September 24, 2024

His release just weeks before this crime, after spending time in an administrative detention center, raises urgent questions about the oversight—or lack thereof—on the part of the French government. How was he free to commit another heinous act in the heart of Paris, to murder Philippine and steal her bank card, continuing his spree with near impunity? His DNA was found at the crime scene, cementing the link to his despicable act.

The young student’s body was discovered in the Bois de Boulogne, a few hundred meters from her university. Desperate to find her, her relatives organized a search party, ultimately tracking her down via her phone’s geolocation. What they found was devastating—a bright life extinguished and a family left in mourning, all because a dangerous criminal was allowed to stay in France despite multiple warnings.

French authorities have yet to explain why a convicted rapist, flagged by the Automated Judicial File of Perpetrators of Sexual or Violent Offenses (FIJAIS), was allowed to stay in the country and why his departure was not enforced. Taha O. attempted to flee across Europe, first being located near Annecy and then making his way to Switzerland, where he was finally arrested at a Geneva train station.

France’s left-wing government has long championed its open-border policies as compassionate and inclusive, but cases like Philippine’s murder reveal the grim reality of their failed immigration policies. Violent criminals are allowed to enter the country, commit horrific and brutal crimes, and then remain free to commit further heinous acts. At the same time, law-abiding citizens face legal consequences for condemning these policies.

This tragedy is a devastating reminder of the dangers posed by the government’s failure to uphold its responsibility to protect its own citizens. How many more innocent lives must be lost before France reassesses its immigration policies and prioritizes the safety of its people? Philippine’s death should serve as another wake-up call—one that should not be ignored.