Refugees’ resettlement: Australia announces “one-off” deal with US

According to a report by the immigration department in Australia earlier this month, some 675 refugees on Manus and 941 on Nauru – out of more than 2,000 applicants – have been successful in obtaining initial or final refugee status.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed that the United States had “agreed to consider referrals” from the United Nations refugee agency on Australia’s refugees.

Malcolm Turnbull can expect to be quizzed on the government’s refugee resettlement deal with the US in the coming days having been vague on how it will stand up under US President-elect Donald Trump.

“People can’t afford to wait a long time anymore”, Ms Stubberfield said.

What’s also unknown is the impact of the incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, especially with his renowned anti-immigration, anti-Muslim stance.

The deal was cautiously welcomed by the United Nations agency, which agreed to refer refugees for potential resettlement, but stipulated that Australia’s global legal obligation was to allow people to seek asylum.

“We have a very long history of cooperation with the United States in matters of this kind”. Under Australia’s strict border policy, they are prevented from receiving asylum even if found to be refugees.

Turnbull could not say whether the refugees would be resettled before the Trump administration takes over on January 20.

The government of Nauru has welcomed the Australian announcement that it has a deal with the United States to resettle the refugees who Canberra had sent to the island over the past three years.

But there was a mixed response from refugee advocacy groups.

“They are simply managing the mix of their refugee intake, just as we are”, Turnbull said. The priority will be the resettlement of women, children and families, and it would exclude those deemed to be economic refugees, he said. “This will be an orderly process. It will not be rushed”.

“The United States won’t be short cutting their security or health checks”.

On Monday, Turnbull said the resettlement process would “continue for some months” as the U.S.

“As a effect, and in long anticipation and preparation for this, we have put in place the largest and most capable maritime surveillance and response fleet Australia has ever deployed”, he said.

The detention of asylum seekers is a hot-button political issue in Australia, but has bipartisan support as the policy has won elections. In the new deal struck under a “one-off” arrangement with the USA government, the 1800 detainees will be encouraged to return home, seek resettlement in the United States or face life in the Nauruan community indefinitely.

General Phal also claimed to know nothing about the $30.2 million that Australia attached to the MoU, and declined to comment on its fate should the USA replace Cambodia as the refugees’ new destination.

“While UNHCR appreciates the need to combat human smuggling, human trafficking and any other forms of criminal activity that may take place in this context, that should never be done to the detriment of refugees and asylum seekers”, Ms Stubberfield said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said USA officials will begin vetting applicants in coming days and that “we deal with one administration at a time”.

For the refugees on Nauru – the nightmare of their daily existence is not over with the glimmer of opportunity, with a Sunday press conference in Canberra and a Facebook post.

The UNHCR has welcomed the deal, but stressed it was not “a party to it” and criticised Australia’s approach since 2013 in transferring asylum-seekers and refugees to open ended detention in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

“These people should have been brought to Australia, and they should have been brought here as quickly as possible- but at least now, they’ll be going to some safe country, and not being left indefinitely in limbo”.

The remaining refugees on Nauru will be eligible for 20-year temporary visa on the island.

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Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.