Since July 27, 2026, the maximum detention period for individuals held in administrative detention centers in France has increased significantly. Previously, most detainees could be held for no more than three months, but under the new law, this period can now extend to seven months. This change has raised concerns about the mental health of detainees, with reports of two suicide attempts in Marseille since the law took effect. One of these individuals, Bilal, an Algerian national, had been detained for nearly 90 days when he received a summons for a hearing before a judge who could extend his detention by at least 30 days. On the same day the hearing was scheduled, Bilal attempted to hang himself. He was rescued and placed in isolation before being transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Despite the hearing confirming the extension of his detention, he later escaped from the hospital. Another detainee, Tarek, a 29-year-old Algerian, attempted suicide after learning about the new law. He had been in detention since June 25, 2026, and could now face up to seven months of confinement. The law, known as the "Philippine Law," was named after the 2024 murder of Philippine Le Noir de Carlan, a 19-year-old student. The main suspect in that case was a Moroccan national under an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) who had previously been convicted of rape. Tarek attempted to hang himself using his sheets but was saved by a colleague who used a lighter to burn the rope. He later warned that he would try again if his detention was extended. The law applies to foreign nationals who have been convicted of crimes punishable by at least five years in prison. According to lawyer Morgane Belotti, co-president of the Foreign Law Commission at the French Bar Association, the law considers the potential sentence, not the actual one handed down. This means even minor offenses, such as stealing a phone in public transport, could be classified as punishable by five years. Mohammed, a 58-year-old man who has lived in France for 50 years, fears losing his home and job due to the law. Arrested in La Ciotat in August 2026, he is uncertain about his future. Lawyer Noha Saad, who represents detainees in the Marseille center, says there is a growing sense of anxiety among those held there, with many contacting her immediately after the law was enacted. According to the annual report from Forum Refugees, in 2025, more than half of the 912 people who passed through the Canet CRA had been released from prison before being placed in administrative detention. Ousmane, a 20-year-old sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated theft, was transferred to the Canet CRA after being notified of an OQTF. He was among the first in Marseille to face a hearing for an extension beyond the 90-day limit. Initially denied by the Paris judicial court, his case was later reviewed and approved on appeal. Meanwhile, lawyer Maeva Laurens is challenging a request for an additional month of detention for her client, who was held in a cramped room in the center. His hearing, conducted via videoconference, was decided by a judge who stated he was not qualified to assess "the material conditions of execution." The detainee was eventually released due to a procedural error made by the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture. Between August 23 and September 5 of last year, nine people in Marseille were presented before the judge of freedoms and detention under the new law. Only one was released due to a procedural irregularity. The management of the increased number of detainees remains uncertain, but the government is already planning for the future. A new administrative detention center with 140 places is set to open in Aix-en-Provence by 2029.