Australia is poised to pass legislation that will make it easier to deport non-citizens to third countries, a move that has reignited criticism from human rights advocates who accuse the government of “dumping” refugees in small island states. The bill is expected to clear parliament after the opposition Liberal Party confirmed its support.
The development follows an agreement signed last week with Nauru to resettle hundreds of people denied refugee visas due to criminal convictions. Under the deal, Australia will provide an upfront payment of A$400 million to establish an endowment fund for the program, along with A$70 million annually to cover ongoing costs.
Nauru, a Pacific island nation with a population of about 12,000 and an area of just 21 square kilometres, is heavily dependent on foreign aid. Two-thirds of its revenue last year came from hosting an Australian-funded processing centre for asylum seekers. The country also faces a 2025 deadline to repay A$43 million to Taiwan after switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing.
The planned law would remove certain procedural fairness provisions in deportation cases involving third countries, aiming to limit court challenges. It targets individuals whose visas were cancelled on character grounds or after serving prison sentences, and who cannot be returned to their home countries such as Iran, Myanmar, and Iraq due to the risk of persecution.
Australia’s High Court ruled in 2023 that indefinite immigration detention was unlawful, leading to the release of around 350 non-citizens into the community, with about a third placed under electronic monitoring. One member of this group, a 65-year-old Iraqi man, lost his High Court appeal against deportation to Nauru on Wednesday.
The government maintains that the changes are necessary to uphold the integrity of the migration system, while critics warn the policy could endanger vulnerable individuals and undermine legal safeguards.
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