PARIS (AP) – Hundreds of people demonstrated yesterday in Paris to protest against a government plan for tough new measures to crack down on illegal immigrants.

The protest, led by anti-racism groups, two labour unions and several left-leaning political parties, was designed to denounce the measures proposed this week by the government.

Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin outlined plans to add 600 border police to help curb the flow of illegal immigrants into France, saying Wednesday that mafia and crime networks were benefiting from the traffic.

The Communist-backed CGT union, in a statement, insisted the measures would “make scapegoats out of all foreigners, which would add to xenophobia.”

Protesters said they wanted France to halt all expulsions of illegal immigrants, and follow recent moves by countries like Spain to grant residency papers en masse to many foreigners in the country.

Police said about 650 people took part in the demonstration on Human Rights Square overlooking the Eiffel Tower.