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2mo ago

Australia Faces Backlash Over Plan to Deport Violent Offenders to Nauru

Advocates and rights groups criticize the government's decision to resettle three non-citizens with criminal records on the Pacific island nation.

A beach in Ewa on the Pacific island of Nauru where Australia plans to send three violent foreign criminals as part of a resettlement deal
On Sunday, the home affairs minister announced that Nauru had agreed to issue long-term resettlement visas to three former immigration detainees from the so-called 'NZYQ cohort' released into the community after the High Court ruled indefinite immigration detention illegal.

Overview

  • The Australian government plans to deport three violent non-citizens, including a convicted murderer, to Nauru under 30-year resettlement visas.
  • This decision follows a 2023 High Court ruling that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful, leading to the release of over 200 individuals from detention.
  • Rights groups and refugee advocates are preparing urgent legal challenges, arguing the policy violates human rights and sets a dangerous precedent.
  • The deportation arrangement is separate from a $140 million defense and budgetary support agreement signed between Australia and Nauru in December 2024.
  • Critics, including opposition leaders and former immigration officials, have condemned the plan as inhumane and politically motivated, citing Nauru's limited resources and history with offshore detention policies.