Human rights groups have raised alarm over the federal government's proposed changes to migration law, condemning the legislation as being fundamentally at odds with human rights principles. The government introduced a bill that seeks to allow authorities to imprison individuals for one to five years if they do not comply with deportation procedures, a move that has sparked significant backlash from human rights advocates.
The focus of the bill appears to be on approximately 150 individuals currently in immigration detention, with the premise of enhancing deportation efforts. However, critics have highlighted fears that the legislation could have far-reaching implications, potentially affecting thousands of individuals residing in the community on bridging visas, including those who arrived in Australia in 2012 or 2013 and had their refugee claims rejected under a 'fast-tracked' assessment process.
In a recent Senate committee hearing scrutinizing the legislation, senior lawyers from the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) strongly opposed the bill, highlighting concerns about its potential violations of human rights. The proposed legislation is seen as granting excessive power to the Immigration Minister, enabling coercive measures to facilitate deportations and imposing harsh penalties disproportionate to the actions it seeks to address. Additionally, the bill includes provisions that would allow the Minister to impose travel bans based on nationality, potentially impacting entire communities and families.