US resettlement deal for Manus, Nauru refugees a ‘one-off’

Fifty-four refugees are expected to be transferred to the US within weeks in a deal reluctantly honoured by Donald Trump.

Peter Dutton: “This is a one-off arrangement that will not be available to any future illegal maritime arrival.” Picture: AAP

Fifty-four refugees from Manus Island and Nauru are expected to be transferred to the US within weeks under the first wave of a “one-off” resettlement deal, which has been reluctantly honoured by President Donald Trump.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the selected refugees would receive a notification of their transfer to the US in the next few days, arguing the arrangement underscored the “strength” of the relationship with Washington.

Mr Dutton defended the length of time it had taken for the Trump administration to accept refugees under the resettlement deal signed by Barack Obama in 2016, with the US agreeing to accept up to 1,250 refugees.

“As we have made clear from the outset the resettlement arrangements will take time and will not be rushed,” Mr Dutton said. “This is a one-off arrangement that will not be available to any future illegal maritime arrival.”

Malcolm Turnbull thanked Mr Trump for honouring the deal after the pair clashed over the arrangement in a 25-minute phone-call in January, with the US President questioning whether any of the refugees could “become the (next) Boston bomber in five years”.

A 2014 image of asylum seekers in the Manus Island detention centre. Picture: AAP

The Prime Minister said about 50 refugees from Nauru and Manus Island would be accepted in this “first group” with the government optimistic that further groups would be accepted before the end of the year, with the US humanitarian intake resetting from October 1.

The US will bear the costs of the transfer and the refugees will be evenly split between Manus and Nauru.

“Further decisions by US authorities in respect of others are expected in due course,” Mr Turnbull said. “This arrangement is a one off and it’s available only to those found to be refugees who are currently in PNG and Nauru and is of course subject to the United States’ own extreme vetting.”

“Anyone who comes by boat will be turned back. They will not be settled in Australia. And they will not be resettled in the United States. Those in PNG and Nauru who’ve been found not to be refugees should return to their country of origin.”

“The road to Australia is closed for people smugglers.”

Since regional processing commenced on Manus Island in 2013, 578 individuals have returned to their home country while 156 individuals have returned to their country of origin from Nauru since processing commenced there in 2012.

In total, there are 868 people being held in Papua New Guinea of whom 679 have been found to be refugees while the remaining 189 are classed as “failed asylum seekers.” Of the 1,124 people being held on Nauru, there are 994 who have been found to be refugees and a further 130 are still having their status determined.

Following the planned closure of the Manus Regional Processing Centre by October 31, those who have not been found to be refugees are likely to be transferred into alternative accommodation at the East Lorengau Transit Centre.

Mr Dutton told parliament last week that the “details and logistics” of the closure of the Manus Island processing centre were still being worked through. He said there were “just under a hundred or so” who had applied for packages to go back to their country of origin.

“We’ve had a record number of people who have taken up offers to return to their country of origin given that they don’t have legitimate claims to make in PNG,” he said.

Spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, Ian Rintoul, said that three Sudanese refugees on Manus had been accepted for resettlement and would fly to Port Moresby on the weekend and on to the US two days later.

“This is good news for these refugees who have been illegally held on Manus for four years,” he said. “But uncertainty hangs over the future of the people on Manus. Even if the US deal is met in full, there are not enough places for all those who need protection.”

He said the government should “immediately halt its moves to forcibly close the Manus detention centre” until there was a “safe solution” for everyone on Manus Island.