Paris Fire Hero’s Bravery Highlights Immigration Policy Contradictions

In a dramatic display of courage last week, Fousseynou Cissé saved multiple children and adults from a fiery death in a high-rise apartment in northern Paris. Balancing on a narrow ledge 65 feet above the ground, Cissé risked his life to evacuate victims trapped by toxic smoke—a feat rightly honored by Paris police chief Laurent Nunez with a medal recognizing “republican courage.” While this act of bravery deserves praise, it also brings into sharp focus troubling contradictions that echo beyond France’s borders—in particular, the disconnect between heroic service and the ability to fully integrate into society through citizenship and employment...