Monthly Wrap June 2026

In the media

In Nauru

A man who was sexually abused as a minor by his carer, was re-detained pending a transfer to Nauru under the government’s 2024 legislation enabling people to be sent to other countries when their country of origin is not a safe option. In Senate estimates it was revealed that a significant proportion of the funds under the Australia-Nauru deal, to accept deported people, goes to offices controlled by the President’s son.

In detention

Since Guardian Australia detailed the systemic problems at immigration detention centres under MTC management, the ABF Commissioner has confirmed that the company has been issued with a financial penalty.

In the community

Anti-immigration and white supremacist activists have confirmed they will use the loophole in Victoria’s electoral laws to register political parties and websites posing to be pro-refugee or pro-Palestine but actually promoting One Nation and other ultra conservative parties. The ABC featured a story on Labassa mansion, in Melbourne, which housed up to 9,000 Jewish refugees following the holocaust.

International

The Guardian detailed the secret mission UNRWA staff undertook to smuggle decades worth of archives from Gaza at the height of Israel’s bombing campaign. An asylum seeker who was returned to France under the ‘one in, one out’ deal between the UK and France, has become the first to be notified that they will be deported to Syria. The IOM published the 2026 World Migration Report.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia published its analysis of the Federal Budget. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a Policy Brief on labour mobility for skilled refugees in regional Australia. The Human Rights Law Centre published its submission to the Senate on the case for dismantling Australia’s offshore processing system.

New releases and events

To Catch a King, a BBC Radio 4 podcast series on people smuggling.

Understanding Statelessness in Australia, research report launch event at the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness.

Monthly Wrap May 2026

In the community

An asylum seeker, who had waited 13 years for an invitation to apply for permanent residence, was killed in Sydney on the same day that his visa invitation was issued. Doctors in Sydney have expressed alarm at the number of asylum seekers who are ineligible for Medicare, causing health complications that could have been avoided with early access to a GP.

In detention

Due to the number of escapes under MTC’s management, the contractor introduced a new policy that all detainees will be handcuffed while off site. The Saturday Paper published an account of the worsening conditions in detention under MTC.

In PNG

The owner of a PNG hotel that houses refugees who were sent there under Australia’s offshore system, claims his business is owed $11 million in unpaid rent.

International

As the war in Sudan enters its third year, Al Jazeera published an account of the situation people there are experiencing. More than 250 Rohingya refugees were feared drowned after a boat sank in the Andaman sea. The UNHCR estimates around 900 Rohingya people drowned at sea during 2025, totalling around 5,000 drownings in the past decade. FIFA announced that an exiled Afghanistan women’s football team will be permitted to play in official international tournaments.

In policy

SBS World News published a long-form interview with The Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published its submission to Home Affairs discussion paper on the 2026-2027 humanitarian program.

New releases and events

We will Decide, Episode 3 of the new ABC series Judgment: Cases that changed Australia, available on ABC iview  

Monthly Wrap April

In the media

In the community

Nine News reported that Home Affairs has observed an increase in UK and Irish visa holders applying for asylum just to extend their stay in Australia. A Syrian man, who settled in Australia as a refugee 10 years ago, is a prosthetist who worked with Australia’s Paralympic team. The theme for Refugee Week 2026 is “A Million Stories”.

Australian Story featured a sequel on the story of an Iraqi refugee who had lost both his arms in a workplace accident, and faced significant bureaucratic barriers to getting visas for his wife and children to visit while he underwent complex surgery. SBS News in Depth published a feature on a new program in NSW to assist LGBTIQ people with humanitarian visa applications.  

In detention

The authority monitoring detention and imprisonment released a report showing a total of 12 escapes from onshore immigration detention since the new contractor took over operations last year.  

Iranians in Australia

Tracey Holmes, who provided extensive coverage of the situation of the Iranian footballers as events unfolded, published an in-depth analysis of how the situation unfolded and the likely impacts on team members upon their return. Iranian footballers living in Australia detailed the extent of the regime’s surveillance on people, especially sports people.  An Iranian refugee who rushed at one of the Bondi massacre shooters faces deportation due to his history of family violence which resulted in his humanitarian visa being cancelled.  

International

Over 200,000 people have crossed the Lebanon-Syria border and 3.2 million Iranians are internally displaced as a result of the US-Israeli bombing campaigns in Lebanon and Iran. The UNSW Kaldor Centre is one of a number of organisations contributing to a US Supreme Court case on the legality of preventing people from lodging asylum claims at the border. The Connectivity for Refugees program, a collaboration by UNHCR and ITU to ensure refugees have access to digital connectivity, won the 2026 Global Award for Mobilisation.

In policy

The High Court ruled that the government’s amended legislation, to correct the unconstitutionality of previous legislation around ankle monitoring of ex-detainees, was also unconstitutional. The legislation to temporarily ban visa holders from entering Australia has been roundly criticised by experts in refugee law.    

In research

Research into the settlement experience of refugees in regional Australian locations found an overwhelming majority felt welcomed and saw a future for themselves. The Scanlon Research Institute published a webinar discussion of their 2025 Refugee Experiences in Australia study. UNSW Law and Justice opened two PhD scholarship opportunities in their Evacuations Research Hub at the Kaldor Centre.

New releases and events

Refugees, asylum and inclusion symposium, presented by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute at the University of Melbourne  

When the Water Horse Seeks a New Home, a documentary by Andrianus Oetjoe

Monthly Wrap March 2026

In the media

In Australia

The 2026 Young Australian of the Year, Abraham Kuol, participated in Radio National’s The Year That Made Me segment. Armidale, in northern NSW, has developed a reputation for its open-hearted attitude towards refugees resulting in around 1,200 refugees settling there in the past 8 years. A Venezuelan in Canberra detailed his torment at the hands of the Maduro regime and his escape to Australia.

International

A report into a massacre west of Rafah found that a marked aid convoy, that included UNRWA, was hit by over 900 bullets fired by Israeli soldiers. A UN Human Rights Office report detailed abductions, torture and abuse perpetrated on migrants and refugees who transit through Libya or are returned there after interception at sea. Around 5 million people who fled the Taliban have been forced to return to Afghanistan as neighbouring countries implement extensive deportation programs. The Conversation explored the history to Spain’s decision to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrants living there. Denmark announced tougher deportation laws that would include asylum seekers and would challenge the integrity of the European human rights framework.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia published its submission to the Senate inquiry into offshore processing and resettlement and detailed how the Liberal Party’s purported consideration of visa bans would punish people fleeing terrorism and persecution in those countries. The UNSW Kaldor Centre and Refugee Council of Australia published their submissions to the Senate inquiry into the value of skilled migration to Australia.

In research

An analysis of the justification for keeping migration and protection separate within the Administrative Review Tribunal found that the intended efficiencies and fairness benefits are not eventuating. The Scanlon Institute published the findings of its study into migrant’s sense of belonging in Australia and the factors at play. An American study found that when children experience severe immigration enforcement measures on their parents, they are twice as likely to struggle with anxiety or depression into adulthood. A German study into newly arrived Ukrainian refugees found some connection between early signs of PTSD and lower employment participation.

Monthly Wrap February 2026

In the media

Onshore detention and offshore processing

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) expressed alarm at the fact that people have spent up to 15 years in Australian immigration detention. A former detainee said he was treated worse than a dog. MTC, the contractor running detention operations in Australia is heavily involved in the controversial ICE operations in America.

The SMH detailed the actions undertaken by MA Services to salvage their security contract in Nauru following revelations of bikie gang involvement in the company. People who were transferred to Nauru, and are not allowed to work, described their struggle to afford food on their fortnightly stipend. The UN Committee Against Torture found that Australia exposed a person to torture and ill-treatment during his detention on Manus Island and that his subsequent detention in Australia amounted to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

International

As the UN announced a new High Commissioner for Refugees and published its 2025 Impact Report, the ABC’s Global Roaming program interviewed the previous Commissioner on the UN’s future. The World Health Organisation documented the humanitarian and health crisis gripping Sudanese people as the civil war continues. The UK granted asylum to a Palestinian Israeli on the basis of a well-founded fear of persecution in Israel. Young men who have fled Ukraine reflected on a growing hostility towards them in Europe.  

In policy

A panel discussion on Australia’s immigration policies was published by the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.

In research

Academics from UNSW and the University of Adelaide published research into the waves of panic in Australia surrounding immigration and their various features. The Baker Institute published research into President Trump’s asylum policies and their impact on American cities and the world.

Monthly Wrap December 2025

In the media

Nauru corruption concerns

Over November a number of people and agencies alleged successive Australian offshore processing deals with Nauru had been corrupted. A senior Home Affairs official who oversaw the process to award the 2019 and 2021 contracts said he had evidence of significant corruption. A former army soldier said that bikie gangs had infiltrated the security service operating under the contract. A Senator read out an Austrac report that raised concerns of corruption and money laundering by the current President of Nauru around the time that deals with Australia were actioned. The Home Affairs Minister’s said that some aspects of the secret Nauru deal would become public ‘over time.’ At the same time the Australian government blocked publication of an interview transcript in which the Nauruan President appears to suggest that his government could deport people in the so-called NZYQ cohort to their countries of origin.

International

2025 became the deadliest year for Rohingya people attempting to find safe haven by boat. In November another boat sank with at least 21 people confirmed dead. The American government announced the cancellation of temporary protection status to nationals of South Sudan, Venezuela, Syria and other countries. It has also reduced the annual refugee intake quota to the lowest level on record and terminated the Afghan resettlement program after a National Guard officer was killed by an Afghan man. Germany announced the commencement of a repatriation program for Syrian refugees. This coincides with the first decline in the number of people displaced globally in the last ten years, primarily due to Syrians returning home. As the UK government announced major reforms to its asylum policies, The Guardian highlighted the limbo of asylum seekers by way of the case of a man who took 17 years to get a residency visa.

In policy

The government defended its policy of buying and restoring fishing boats to give to people who are intercepted in Australian waters and ordered to return to their departure point. During November Australia issued it’s one millionth humanitarian visa since the end of World War II. The new Refugee Student Settlement Pathway program took effect with the arrival of the first visa recipients. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published its submission to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ahead of their December visit to Australia.  

In research

UNSW research found that people in Australia on humanitarian visas were 51% less likely to be employed five years post- arrival than other new migrants. The Scanlon Foundation Research Institute published the 2025 report of the Refugees Experiences in Australia Study. The IOM’s International Migration published a study into the prevalence of state organised forced migration as an intentional geopolitical strategy.

Monthly Wrap November 2025

In the media

In Nauru

An FOI to obtain the translated version of an interview with Nauru’s President, which included discussion of the resettlement deal, was refused. The deal is now activated as deportations commenced in October.

In Sudan

Using satellite imagery of El-Fasher, experts asserted a campaign of ethnic cleaning was occurring on a scale similar to the genocide in Rwanda. According to an exiled Sudanese journalist the city’s population is now around 10% of what it was two years ago. Sudanese Australians have called for the government to assist them to get their family members to safety.

International

A regional Spanish municipality unanimously passed a motion calling on their national government to give asylum seekers work rights so that they can employ in the face of a persistent labour shortage crisis. The South African government criticised the American policy to grant refugee status to white farmers. The UNHCR congratulated Brazil on their adoption of a new migration policy that strengthens refugees access to health care, education, housing and work rights.  

In policy

Refugee organisations have faced a surge in asylum seekers needing welfare assistance as the federal government has significantly reduced access to Status Resolution Support Service SRSS payments. As the government continues to refuse to repatriate Australian women and children from Syrian camps, SBS News published a story on the children and their situation.

In research

The Melbourne Social Equity Institute’s Migration, Refugees and Statelessness Interdisciplinary Conference will take place on 13 November 2025. The IOM published research into the link between climate change and migration, including slow and rapid events as drivers of mass movements of people. Springer published a study into the EU Commission’s role in the migration policies that have been adopted by the EU from 2019-2024.  The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies published a study of the arrival of Yemeni refugees at a resort island and the resultant realisation among South Koreans of the existence of refugees in their country.

New releases

Finding my Way, a book by Malala Yousafzai, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Monthly Wrap October 2025

In the media

In Nauru

As a fourth person was taken back into detention for removal to Nauru, a parliamentary committee concluded that the government’s policy to fast-track removals to Nauru lacked objective legitimacy and could breach Australia’s human rights obligations. An Iraqi man failed in his High Court bid to prevent his transfer to Nauru. The government significantly expanded the contract for offshore processing in Nauru without going to tender and people sent there reported having to skip meals due to the cost of food.

Afghan refugees

An Afghan women’s football team, comprising players who are in exile, has been approved to play in a friendly tournament in Dubai. Guardian Australia documented the deteriorating security for Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan, which has caused fear among the diaspora community in Australia. Iran reacted to the reimposition of sanctions by threatening to release hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees into Turkey and Iraq.

In the community

The ABC highlighted the situation of a Nepali couple who have been separated from their children for over 13 years because a person’s mode of arrival into Australia determines their family reunion options. The Administrative Review Tribunal found that a gay man from Malaysia, whose protection claim was refused, risks persecution if he is returned there. Ararat, in Victoria, is the latest country town to look to refugees and migrants to fill workforce shortages. At least 29 Americans have applied for protection in Australia.

International

The UNHCR reported that more than 1 million Syrians have returned home since the fall of Assad. The country took a step towards democracy with a limited election. The situation in Syria was discussed on ABC Radio National. The BBC published a behind the scenes look at life in the hotels that are used to house asylum seekers in the UK. The interim head of government in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus, delivered a speech on the situation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.  

In policy

As Australia formalised its recognition of Palestine at the UN General Assembly, critics questioned how countries can recognise Palestine while treating Palestinians as stateless. ABC Radio National interviewed an Australian doctor in Gaza to hear about the health crisis there.The number of failed asylum seekers remaining in Australia has passed 100,000. The Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness published their submission to the UN Periodic Review on the right to nationality and the challenges of being stateless in Australia.

In research

The UNSW Kaldor Centre collaborated with global partners on a report into the rise of the use of technology to track people who would otherwise be detained. The UNHCR published its 2025 Refugee Education report.

Monthly Wrap September 2025

In the media

In Tuvalu

Following Australia’s introduction of a special visa for Tuvaluans whose livelihoods have been affected by climate change, Radio National’s Late Night Live hosted [audio story] Prof Jane McAdam to discuss the visa and its place in the protection system.    

In the community

A Hong Kong activist and his family were granted protection in Australia. The former Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said that the government should resolve the situation of asylum seekers who have been on bridging visas since they arrived in 2012/2013. His comments were made in an Australian Story episode catching up on the Nadesalingham family in Biloela. 

International

The Thai Government announced that it will grant work rights to refugees from Myanmar who have been in Thailand for many years. Bangladesh reported that global aid cuts will push Rohingya refugees to the brink. The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative celebrated the highest number of females enrolled in higher education in a single year. As the UK’s right-wing Reform political party continued its rise in the opinion polls, they committed to withdraw the UK from human rights and refugee treaties so as to enable mass deportations of asylum seekers.

In policy

Australia and Nauru agreed a $400 million resettlement plan for the group of people who were released from detention following the NZYQ High Court decision. The plan will include an annual ongoing payment of $70 million. This occurred despite orders by the UN Human Rights Council to block the removal of an Iraqi refugee to Nauru.

The Refugee Council of Australia demanded that the Australian government increase aid, diplomacy and resettlement offers to people suffering, what is now, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Radio National’s Late Night Live program featured an in-depth look at the situation in Sudan. During National Homelessness week, the Refugee Council of Australia detailed how the increasing inaccessibility of the SRSS program is exacerbating the homelessness crisis for people seeking asylum in Australia.

Amnesty International Australia published its submission to the Department of Home Affairs discussion paper on Australia’s 2025-26 Humanitarian Program. The discussion paper is available here.

Monthly Wrap August 2025

In the media

Detention

The Saturday Paper highlighted cases in the latest Commonwealth Ombudsman’s report into immigration detention, that showed a pattern of inaction on matters of concern within detention centres. The full report can be accessed here. The Australian reported a surge in drug circulation in immigration detention centres during the period when detention management was transitioning from Serco to the new contractor, Secure Journeys.

Nauru

Amid an outbreak of dengue fever in Nauru, advocates urged the Australian government to ensure that the people they sent there are provided with mosquito nets and repellent.

Palestinians

UNRWA reported that Israel’s blockade on food aid into Gaza impacted their medical teams who faced persistent hunger. A Palestinian family was granted residence after the Immigration Minister saw their story on the ABC series The Piano.  

Afghanistan

People who fled Afghanistan are approaching almost two years without any response to their Australian protection visa applications. Radio National’s Late Night Live explored the situation of Afghan refugees who are subject to America’s removal policies. Iran has forcibly returned over 1 million Afghans who sought safe haven there. In the UK it was revealed that thousands of Afghan people were secretly resettled there after a major government data breach in 2022 put their lives at risk in Afghanistan.

Community

A Tasmanian legal service reported a notable increase in the number of people who fear persecution in their countries of origin on the basis of their sexuality. On the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, survivors living in Australia recalled the horrors they suffered.

International

The European Court of Justice ruled that states can only declare countries 'safe' for return where the whole population is generally safe and evidence to back up the declaration must be cited. The UNHCR published its strategy on how to protect refugees and asylum seekers from misinformation, disinformation and hate speech. Mali passed legislation to guarantee protections for stateless people living there. The UNHCR called for more assistance to the almost 1.3 million Sudanese people who are returning home after having fled the conflict there. The UK and France agreed an arrangement that would see one refugee brought into the UK for every undocumented person who is intercepted at sea and returned to France.

In policy

The IOM and UNHCR have partnered on an Australian funded Train to Hire pilot program that will enable refugees in the Asia-Pacific region to be brought to Australia for training and work. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a recording of a panel discussion on the limits in administrative detention since the NZYQ High Court ruling.

In research

Professor Jane McAdam published an analysis of the ICJ’s opinion with respect to the protection obligations owed to people whose lives are threatened by climate change.

New releases and events

Book Launch: Statelessness in Asia, an in-person event at the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness on 19 August 2025.

Building bridges: advancing refugee protection in a divided world, a conference by the UNSW Kaldor Centre, on 23 October 2025.

Monthly Wrap July 2025

In the media

In Nauru and PNG

Canstruct, the company that was contracted to run immigration detention operations in Nauru, is being investigated for fraud. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information revealed the then Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison, sought advice as to whether women offshored to Nauru could be prevented from travelling to Australia to access abortion. The men who remain in PNG reflected on their anguish at remaining in limbo 12 years after they were sent there.

In the community

Wesley LifeForce and STARTTS co-designed a multilingual suicide prevention training program tailored to people who have experienced persecution, displacement and trauma in recognition of their elevated risk of suicide. A Liberian rap artist, who came to Australia as a refugee, is mentoring young rural Queenslanders in the production of music videos to develop their filmmaking skills.  

At the UNHCR

To mark World Refugee Day, the United Nations released a number of reports and updates. They reported that the number of people displaced by conflict or persecution is at the highest it has been for a decade and that around 2,5 million people await resettlement. They estimate more than 4 million people have now fled the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Following a significant decline in revenue this year, the UNHCR completed a review to reduce staffing by 30% and re-allocate resources towards the most urgent situations.

International

As one in three refugees are children, Al Jazeera published a fact-sheet on their demographics and their experience of vulnerability. Ukrainians who sought refuge in the UK report being refused protection on the basis that it is safe to return. Turkiye announced the opening of an UNRWA office in Ankara. The US State Department reallocated $250 million in funding that was to support refugees to fund voluntary deportations instead. A UNHCR report showed that Poland’s decision to allow Ukrainian refugees the right to work and start small businesses contributed to a 2.7% boost in Poland’s GDP.

In policy

The UN’s OPCAT Committee found that Australia’s detention of a person who arrived as a minor constituted arbitrary detention and demanded that his subsequent mental and physical harm receive adequate treatment and compensation. The Home Affairs Minister admitted that none of the people for whom last year’s preventative detention legislation was designed have met the risk threshold required to be detained. The Australian government agreed to pay the outstanding flight debts for all of the 99 refugees who were resettled to Canada. They were among the refugees who had been detained offshore and were denied the right to lodge refugee claims in Australia. They were ultimately resettled under a community sponsorship arrangement (Operation Not Forgotten) that was entirely funded by donations. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published their submission to the UN General Assembly’s examination of the now widespread practice of states outsourcing their migration responsibilities to others.  

In research

A ten year survey of people with professional backgrounds, who came to Australia for humanitarian reasons, found persistent difficulties finding work in their field of expertise. The Statelessness and Citizenship Review journal opened an Expressions of Interest for contributions to the 2026 special edition on ‘Citizenship, statelessness and emerging technologies’.

Monthly Wrap June 2025

In the media

A refugee failed to secure, what would have been, a landmark court ruling that his detention compounded his mental ill-health.  The Saturday Paper published a feature on the breadth of Australia’s people smuggling laws and how they affect people who assist others to come to Australia. Guardian Australia published a feature on the work of the Adira Centre, a specialist domestic violence centre in Sydney for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

International

The UN expressed alarm at allegations that Indian authorities had forced a boatload of Rohingya people back out to sea, and reported that around 427 Rohingya people drowned when two other boats capsized.  The American government removed the protection status of Afghan refugees already in the USA, leaving them vulnerable to deportation. As the first lot of white South African farmers left for the USA, President Trump presented documentation that he claimed showed the persecution of Afrikaner farmers. The documentation included images from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other misrepresentations. The World Food Program cut food aid to Uganda, which is Africa’s largest host of refugees, citing a funding shortfall due to budget cuts in the USA and Europe. 

In policy

The Conversation published an explainer on the mental health supports available to asylum seekers and refugees in Australia. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a Policy Brief on the need to ensure that the new Treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters specifically includes the obligation upon states to uphold the human rights of displaced people.

New releases

Belonging Nowhere, a podcast series published by SBS News.

Visas Now! Aotearoa’s response to global refugee emergencies, published by Left of the Equator.

Monthly Wrap May 2025

In the media

In detention

Following an Ombudsmans Report criticising the conditions under which Australia holds people at sea, The Saturday Paper published an insiders account of the situation aboard the vessels. A fire occurred in a section of Melbourne’s immigration detention centre. The High Court rejected compensation claims made by two people who were detained, despite an AAT finding that they were owed protection, while their protection visas were considered.

In the community

The ABC published a story on the impact of the housing crisis on Afghan people who were resettled on refugee visas. The International Cricket Council announced the creation of a fund and taskforce to support the exiled Afghan women’s cricket team, most of whom now live in Australia.

International

Pakistani authorities continued their policy of forcibly removing Afghan people who sought safe haven there. ABC Sunday Extra presented a behind the scenes look at the deportation centres in operation in the UK.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia published an analysis of the major party policies on refugees and  people seeking asylum.  The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a paper on five ways Australia could reduce the persistent backlog of protection applications. Sarah Dehm and Anthea Vogl looked back at immigration amnesties declared by previous Australian governments and whether they could occur again.

In research

A review of 21 studies across 8 countries concluded that no form of detention is psychologically safe for children. According to the latest detention statistics, six children remain in locked immigration detention onshore. Research in Germany examined the role that new friendships, within the broader community, make in the success of refugees in their first few years living in a country.

Monthly Wrap April 2025

In the media

In PNG

The new deal agreed between the Australian and PNG governments, to switch accommodation and services to an allowance instead, HAS the men who remain there worried that they will not be able to afford rent.

In Australia

The National Justice Project launched a new online resource to assist people, who have been wronged, to navigate the relevant complaints process. On the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Viet Nam, Australia’s Vietnamese community celebrated the beginning of a project to build the Vietnamese Museum Australia in Melbourne’s western suburbs. It will be the first of its kind in the country.

International

Kenya was praised for its decision to transition large refugee camps into municipalities where people living there will have more rights and greater security of residence. Renewed military activity by the Israeli Defence Force has caused a surge in the number of people displaced in Gaza once again. The number of unaccompanied refugee minors, particularly teenagers, in care in the UK has doubled in recent years. A ten-year collaboration between the Mexican government, UNHCR and businesses has enabled50,000 refugees to successfully integrate in communities where they have found jobs, housing and stability. The cuts to the USAID program forced the World Food Program to halve rations, which the UNHCR fears may drive people to undertake dangerous journeys to seek better prospects elsewhere.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia published an analysis of the federal budget as it pertains to refugees and asylum seekers. As the election campaign is now officially underway, the UNSW Kaldor Centre promoted a resource on identifying and countering misinformation during election campaigns. Following the recent cyclone in Queensland, academics from UNSW and ANU collaborated on an article setting out how skilled refugees could be recruited to assist in recovery and rebuild efforts.

New releases and events

Refugee Displacement, Disability and Human Rights The Production, Processing and Power of Data, a book by Philippa Duell-Piening published by Routledge.  

Monthly Wrap March 2025

In the media

In the community

A national poll of over 1,500 Australian voters showed majority support for asylum seekers to be given more rights while their claims are being assessed. The Refugee Council of Australia confirmed 2025’s Refugee Week theme will be Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community.

In Nauru

The government announced that Nauru will grant 30-year visas to 3 people who were released under the NZYQ High Court determination, but it refused to disclose how much Nauru was paid. The deal was immediately challenged in court. The Australian Human Rights Commissioner raised concerns about the deal. 

In detention

The government revealed that the number of Indonesian boat crew who were wrongfully detained on the basis of being adults is probably double that which they previously estimated. Serco immigration detention centre staff commenced strike action over the policy to refuse redundancy payments for anyone who accepts jobs with the new detention contractor.

International

The UNHCR published the 2024 Impact Report, a summary of the major crises that the agency was engaged in. It also marked the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with an explainer on the situation of displaced people and the assistance offered. Thailand forcibly returned 48 Uighur people to China despite sustained lobbying from the UNHCR that it would constitute a breach of non-refoulement conventions. As the number of Congolese fleeing intense conflict in the country’s east surged, Burundi agreed to provide them refugee status on a prima facie basis. President Trump announced that white South African farmers would be eligible for asylum in the USA, but the offer was not widely welcomed there.

In policy

The Saturday Paper reported on how Australia’s policy of denying tertiary study rights to asylum seekers impacts on people who arrived by boat as minors.

In research

The latest edition of the Journal of Refugee Studies aims to bring refugee law and refugee studies closer in sync with each other in the world of research. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published two toolkits; on countering misinformation, and on protection in climate disasters.

New releases and events

Life on the Migrant Barge, a documentary by Aljazeera English 

No Other Land, a Palestinian film about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, won Best Documentary Feature film at the Oscars

Monthly Wrap Feb 2025

In the media

Onshore detention

The Human Rights Commissioner detailed the serious consequences for women from a detention system that was designed for men. Staff at Serco, who recently lost the onshore detention contract, were advised that they would not be eligible for redundancy payments if they took up jobs at the new detention contractor, Secure Journeys. The ACCC brought price-fixing proceedings against one of the subcontractors to the new detention contractor.

Boat interceptions and offshore processing

News Corp reported that over 21,581 partner visas were issued to spouses of people who arrived by boat, when the actual figure was over 2,158. The incorrect information was repeated by other news outlets and politicians. A group of Bangladeshi men on Indonesia’s southern-most island claimed that ABF intercepted them at sea and held them on a ship for two weeks before sending them back to Indonesia. A person who previously worked on people smuggling boats explained the journey people took from China to Australia.  

International

Over 500,000 people have returned to Syria since September 2024, prompting the UN to call for states to assist the country’s rebuilding effort. Following the collapse of the Assad regime, some European countries suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrians. On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, survivors urged younger generations to be alert to the dangers of intolerant attitudes to people who are different. Bulgarian border police have been accused of blocking assistance to 3 teenage asylum seekers who had become lost, and subsequently died in the winter cold. The Trump administration cancelled the Afghan resettlement program, which has left around 10,000 people in limbo even though they were already approved for resettlement due to their work with US forces. The UK government’s efforts to clear the asylum processing backlog has inadvertently contributed to a rise in homelessness as people lose their eligibility for state-supported accommodation when their asylum application has been decided.   

In policy

The UN Human Rights Committee concluded that Australia contravened its human rights obligations when it detained teenagers on Nauru. The implications of the case were detailed by Associate Professor Sarah Moulds.  

In research

The Scanlon Foundation Research Institute is calling for people with refugee experience to contribute to their study on settling in Australia.

Monthly Wrap Dec 2024

In the media

In community and locked detention

Serco lost the contract for immigration detention in Australia, a role they have played since 2009. The new contractor has not yet been announced. A human rights lawyer told the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that Australia’s detention centres are prisons where people are often detained unlawfully. The High Court ruled that it is unlawful to impose curfews and ankle bracelets on people who are moved into the community. Additional High Court cases are underway as to the lawfulness of detaining people while their protection applications are being assessed.

Boat arrivals

Indigenous rangers have criticised the rapid response of Border Force to boats carrying asylum seekers compared to the absence of response when they report illegal fishing in the area. After assisting four men recently, they demanded assurance from authorities that the men would be cared for.

International

As the ongoing conflict in Sudan has caused the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, the UN World Food Program detailed the scale of the famine threat and the complexity of delivering food aid. The UNHCR recognised Thailand as leading the world in their efforts to end statelessness. Italian Courts blocked the transfer of asylum seekers to Albania on the basis that EU law only permits the accelerated removal of people where they have come from countries considered safe. As President-elect Trump promised mass deportations of asylum seekers and illegal migrants, businesses working in detention and prison services expect to profit from the policy.

In policy

The government ended the parliamentary year by introducing legislation that will enable (i) Australia to pay a third country to receive failed asylum seekers, (ii) the re-detention of people who were released due to the NZYQ High Court ruling, and (iii) the Minister to declare any item (e.g. a mobile phone) to be prohibited in detention. A Senate inquiry heard that up to 80,000 people could be affected by the proposed removal powers. A bipartisan Parliamentary committee found that the re-detention legislation could impact on people’s human rights on multiple levels. The Coalition asserted that they are basically running the government’s immigration policy.

In research

The largest known study into the prevalence of mental health ill-health among people who spent time in Australian immigration detention found it was profound. On PTSD they were at 16-22 times more risk than the general population, the rate depended on whether their detention was onshore or offshore and whether it was above or below six months duration.

The Human Rights Law Centre and the University of Melbourne analysed the increase in visa cancellations and its effect on immigration detention and deportation.  The Refugee Council of Australia published evaluation findings of a decade of their Refugee Stories for Change program.

New releases and events

70th anniversary of the Convention on Statelessness, a webinar by the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness on 12 December 2024.

Monthly Wrap Nov 2024

In the media

Permanent residence protest

On the final day of a 100-day rally for permanent residency in Melbourne, white supremacists sought to sabotage the event. The asylum seekers rallying for residency were subject to the flawed ‘fast track’ decision-making process and have been in legal limbo for over ten years. 

In court

A new class action case was brought on behalf of South Sudanese refugees who have finished their prison sentences but remain in indefinite detention because they cannot be deported to their country of origin. 

Nauru and PNG

Following the National Anti-Corruption Commission report into the offshore detention contracts to Paladin, Crikey published a 3-part series on the questions that remain outstanding. Radio National’s Late Night Live discussed the rise in the number of people that have been sent to Nauru and the conditions they are experiencing.

In Israel, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon

The Israeli Knesset passed legislation to ban UNRWA from operating on Israeli soil. The move was widely condemned for the impact it will have on vulnerable people and the precedent it sets for conflicts elsewhere. The Conversation published a feature on the bidirectional flight of refugees between Lebanon and Syria as they seek safety from violence and conflict in their respective countries of origin.

International

The ongoing war in Sudan has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The UNHCR data portal on Sudan provides a live update on the number of people who have fled the conflict, over 11 million displaced, and their whereabouts. More than 48 people died and a further 100 were reported missing when they were apparently forced off a boat near Djibouti. The European Court of Justice found that the Taliban’s treatment of women constitutes persecution, the latest restriction being women are prohibited from praying aloud. In practical terms this means individual assessments of Afghan women are not necessary to determine their eligibility for refugee status. The EU Commissioner talked up the concept of regional “return hubs” outside of the EU based on the arrangement that Italy and Albania have agreed.

In policy

The government proposed legislation to increase the search and seize powers of staff at immigration detention centres. The Foreign Affairs Minister released Australia’s latest Humanitarian Policy. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a Policy Brief on redesigning Australia’s asylum procedures, using Switzerland as the model. 

In research

The Scanlon Institute’s Australian Migration and Population Dashboard brings together statistics on the various aspects of migration. The Measuring Irregular Migration and related Policies project, MIrreM, published an updated working paper on irregular migration across 20 countries.

New release

Seize the Summit, a documentary directed by Arwa Damon

Monthly Wrap Oct 2024

In the media

PNG and Nauru

The men who Australia sent to PNG once again face eviction due to unpaid rent. Denmark’s Immigration Minister visited Nauru to look at the pros and cons of Australia’s offshore detention system.

Palestinians in Australia

The number of Palestinians who lodged asylum applications in Australia continued to grow. The Home Affairs Minister confirmed that he authorised temporary protection visas to a handful of Palestinian families. Documents show that all applications from Palestinians were checked by ASIO.

International

Rohingya men reported that they are being abducted and forced to serve in the Arakan Army, who are fighting the Myanmar army for control of Rakhine state. Melbourne’s Peter McMullin Centre for Statelessness will hold an online seminar on the situation of stateless people in Rakhine state. As the Taliban passed a new law that prohibits women from talking outside of their home, CNN reported on the determination of Afghan girls to get educated. The Venezuelan presidential candidate, who many states recognise as the winner of their election, fled to Spain. Germany has reintroduced border checks for a period of six months. Documents secured under freedom of information detail the situation of people who were subject to the UK’s Rwanda transfer program.

In policy

The government proposed legislation that would further limit asylum seeker’s access to AAT merits review. Submissions on the proposed change can be viewed here. Guardian Australia published a feature on the inconsistency in government treatment of people based on where they have come from. The Refugee Council of Australia urged the government to reconsider the applicants who were rejected under the controversial ‘fast track’ decision-making process in 2014.

New releases

Being stateless, an oral history podcast, a podcast series by the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness.

Monthly Wrap Sept 2024

In the media

Israel-Palestine war

August’s news cycle was dominated by the Opposition leader’s claim that granting visas to Palestinians seeking safe haven from Gaza poses a national security risk. The former Immigration Deputy Secretary accused the Coalition of quoting him selectively in order to substantiate their position. Guardian Australia published an explainer on the situation and the security clearances that Palestinians need to pass in order to exit Gaza. Meanwhile the government granted healthcare and work rights to a small number of Israelis and Palestinians who have sought sanctuary in Australia. Reuters published an explainer on why the city of Jenin, and the large refugee camp there, is a focal point in the Israel-Palestine war.

Immigration Detention

Independent MP Kylea Tink moved a private member’s bill that would put a 90-day limit on immigration detention, including at offshore locations.

In the community

A Tamil man who was on bridging visas for over 11 years took his own life. The Tamil Refugee Council reported that he was the second asylum seeker to suicide in a month. The Saturday Paper featured a story on the community refugee sponsorship program, CRISP,  and Guardian Australia ran a story on a social enterprise that is employing refugees as florists.

International

The perilous situation for Rohingya’s persists and was discussed in an interview on ABC Radio National. The number of Sudanese refugees entering Libya has surged. The largest ever refugee team at the 2024 Paralympics celebrated their first ever medal, in taekwondo. After suspending deportations to Afghanistan when the Taliban regained power, Germany has resumed deportations of Afghans who have committed crimes. In one of the worst drowning incidents in the English Channel, at least twelve people drowned when an overcrowded boat carrying many women and children sank.  

In policy

As the revamped Administrative Appeals Tribunal AAT takes shape, The Saturday Paper published an assessment of the extent to which the government honoured it’s commitment to merits-based appointments.

In research

UNSW launched a research project into the professional development needs of women who were forcibly displaced prior to settling in Australia. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a panel discussion on resettlement and complimentary protection.