Federal Government Passes Extreme Migration Bills, Stripping Refugees and Asylum Seekers of Basic Human Rights
In an alarming move last night, the Federal Government pushed through three migration Bills that represent some of the most extreme and regressive immigration policies in recent Australian history. ‘These laws erode fundamental human rights, leaving refugees and asylum seekers in even greater peril and dismantling Australia’s already fragile commitment to being a safe haven for those fleeing violence and persecution,’ said Dr Marianne van Galen-Dickie, Deportation Advocate, Sisters Inside.
Key provisions of the legislation include:
- Forced Transfers: The government can now deport asylum seekers and refugees, whose visas have been cancelled or refused, to any country—including the very nations they fled seeking safety. This also enables indefinite deportations to Nauru or Papua New Guinea, reinstating sites notorious for their inhumane conditions.
- Strip Searches in Detention: The legislation sanctions strip searches in immigration detention, a blatant act of state-sanctioned sexual violence.
- Communication Bans: Mobile phones and laptops can be confiscated from people in detention, further isolating them from legal and familial support. This is particularly devastating for women separated from their families and detained in states far from home, such as Queensland women sent to New South Wales or Victoria.
- Punitive Sentencing: People who cannot “cooperate” with removals to third countries face the threat of being re-sentenced to jail—even when court appeals are ongoing.
- Ankle Monitors: The government has reinforced the use of electronic ankle monitors for those released from detention.
Sisters Inside operates a deportation advocacy program, providing specialised support for women facing deportation due to their criminal record, supporting them with comprehensive legal aid, counselling, and support, in an attempt to ensure they are not unjustly separated from their families and that their contributions to the community are recognised.
‘We have received reports of Australian Border Force (ABF) officers intimidating and coercing refugees into accepting financial “offers” of $5,100 USD to return to their countries of origin—despite the known dangers many face upon return. Just this week, three more of our clients have been subjected to this aggressive tactic,’ said Debbie Kilroy, CEO of Sisters Inside.
‘David Shoebridge, the Greens’ immigration spokesperson, rightly described this legislation as “the most extreme migration legislation since the White Australia policy.” We wholeheartedly agree. This package of laws strips away the last pretences of Australia as a safe haven for people escaping some of the world” most abhorrent violence,’ said Tabitha Lean, of the National Network.
‘These policies are a betrayal of our shared humanity, and we hold grave concerns for the women we work with, many of whom are already living in deeply precarious situations. From forced deportations to indefinite detention and the erosion of legal and familial connections, these measures only deepen the harms experienced by vulnerable communities,’ said Dr Marianne van Galen-Dickie.
‘We ask: who are we as a nation when we pass laws that actively harm those seeking refuge from unimaginable suffering? These laws are devastating for the people we work with and equally infuriating for those of us in this space fighting for dignity, justice, and safety for all,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘We call on the Federal Government to immediately repeal this oppressive legislation and commit to policies that uphold the fundamental human rights of refugees and asylum seekers,’ said Tabitha Lean.
For further comment, please contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474, Dr Marianne van Galen- Dickie 0450 981 575 or Tabitha Lean on 0499 780 226
