It has been quiet for awhile—months I believe—since we’ve heard of another shipment of Australia’s rejected asylum seekers to America in that dumb deal Obama made and Trump is continuing.
Unlike feckless European leaders, Australia’s government at the time, rightly and successfully, blocked the arrival of migrant boats about five years ago and apprehended those trying to break in to the country. They were packed off to offshore island detention centers and efforts were made to get them to return to where they came from.
Most didn’t, and Obama rode to the rescue and said, sure, send these ‘refugees’ to America.
(Readers, this is a completely unorthodox and possibly illegal use of the Refugee Admissions Program.)
None had arrived yet when Donald Trump first set foot in the White House, so he could have (should have!) stopped the airlift before it began. He didn’t and they are coming to a town near you—mostly Muslims, mostly men, from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Burmese Rohingya.
New batch is on the way…
From 9 News Australia:
More refugees depart Nauru for US
The Refugee Action Coalition says 21 refugees have left Nauru for the United States, only two days after an asylum seeker died on the island nation from a suspected suicide.
The RAC’s Ian Rintoul says the departure on Sunday’s of the 21 detainees is “bittersweet” as the Nauru community mourns the death of 26-year-old Farhad who was found dead in his family’s tent on Friday.
“The Nauru community is still in shock because of Farhad’s death,” Mr Rintoul said.
“Everyone is wondering who is next. With so many nationalities being denied entry to the US, many people are left thinking that there is only one way off Nauru now.“
Sunday’s departure reportedly included individuals, as well as two families, from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Mr Rintoul said no other flights from Nauru this year have included refugees from Iran, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan or Syria.
“The unofficial ban on nationalities under the Trump administration’s travel ban continues,” he said.
For my complete archive on the Australia deal, go here.