Paris- France's Immigration Ministry said Saturday that it would surpass its target of 26,000 deportations this year, Le Monde newspaper on Saturday.

In the first half of 2008, more than 17,200 foreigners who had no right to stay in France had been deported.

The ministry has a budget of 42 million euros (58 million dollars) for deportations in 2009, the report said, or 2,200 euros per case.

In 2009, France would also increase the number of places in deportation centres from 1,500 to more than 2,000, the report said.

Aid organization CIMADE, which is the group allowed access to the deportation centres, has complained in recent months of violence being used against deportees. (dpa)