Australia Begins Deporting Non-Citizens to Nauru under New Resettlement Deal
The first group of individuals classified as non-citizens by Australia has been sent to Nauru as part of a recent multimillion-dollar resettlement agreement between the two countries. This arrangement was formalized last week when Nauru's President David Adeang and Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke signed the new deal.
Refugee advocates report at least three men have already been deported, with eight more currently detained awaiting removal under the memorandum of understanding signed in August. The terms of the deal are largely undisclosed, though Australian media estimate the total cost to be around $2.5 billion payable to Nauru over a 30-year period.
Targeted Group and Removal Process
The deportations specifically target around 350 individuals known as the NZYQ cohort. Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, explained that the removals begin once Nauru grants a visa to the person. Following that, Australian authorities cancel the individual's visa and detain them, often in the early hours.
"As soon as Nauru issues the visa for the person, the visa is cancelled, and they're able to be re-detained. So people are being picked up at… three o'clock, four o'clock in the morning for the purposes of being re-detained. Some of them only with a week's notice of removal to Nauru."
Concerns Raised by Advocates
- Detentions often occur in the early morning, causing distress among detainees.
- Short notice—sometimes only a week—is given before removal to Nauru.
- The confidential nature of the agreement has drawn criticism from refugee groups.
The deportation operation marks the implementation of a significant, yet secretive, Pacific Island resettlement plan impacting hundreds of individuals labeled as non-citizens by Australia.
Author summary: Australia has begun deporting hundreds of non-citizens to Nauru under a costly, confidential resettlement deal, prompting concerns from refugee advocates about sudden detentions and limited notice.