Nauru, Manus Island refugees to learn of US resettlement fate in next two days: Dutton

Refugees on Nauru and Manus Island will learn if they will be accepted in the US resettlement program over the next two days after receiving appointment slips.

US refugee deal Manus Nauru

About 45 refugees (left) on Manus Island and Nauru have received an appointment slip (right) from US authorities regarding their possible resettlement. Source: SBS, Supplied

About 45 refugees on Nauru and Manus Island have appointments with US officials over the next two days to find out if they will be accepted into the resettlement program.

US authorities sent out letters summoning refugees to appointments on Wednesday and Thursday,

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the news on Wednesday.

He says the processing of other individuals continues and further decisions by US authorities are expected in due course.

"The resettlement arrangement demonstrates the strength of Australia's relationship with the US," Mr Dutton said.

"I want to thank the United States for their co-operation."

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said he knew about 25 refugees receiving appointment slips on Nauru and about 20 on Manus Island late on Tuesday afternoon.
"The nationalities who got interviews for Wednesday on Manus included Sudanese, Iranian, Rohingyan and Bangladesh," he told SBS World News.

When asked how the refugees were feeling, Mr Rintoul said they were hoping to get a positive answer about their resettlement.

"People were quite surprised that there was anything happen, most have given up on the idea of any resettlement where the US is concerned," he said.
US refugee deal Manus Nauru
Refugees looking at the notice posted about the US resettlement deal on Manus Island. Source: Supplied
"Obviously we’re looking at great interest what the outcome is. We’re hoping there will be positive answers for the people who have applied to go to the US.

"It’s bittersweet, it’s already pretty obvious hundreds of people will remain on Manus and Nauru, and they remain responsibility of the Australian government."

Under the Obama Administration, the US agreed to take on up to 1,250 refugees in Papua New Guina and Nauru in return for Australia taking asylum seekers from Central America.
US refugee deal Manus Nauru
The nationalities who got interviews for Wednesday on Manus Island included Sudanese, Iranian, Rohingyan and Bangladesh. Pictured is a notice about the program. Source: Supplied
More than 1,600 refugees have expressed their interest in taking advantage of the deal.

The deal was the subject of a now-infamous phone call between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull when the US president took office in January.

Mr Trump described the deal as "dumb" but he did reluctantly agree to go through with it.

Manus Island's detention centre is expected to close by the end of October.

- with AAP

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2 min read
Published 19 September 2017 11:15pm
Updated 20 September 2017 7:37am
By Louise Cheer


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