Labor’s plans for visa overstayer detention centres branded a ‘Donald Trump twist’ on immigration
The Australian federal government has announced plans to reopen detention centers for visa overstayers, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the Greens who compared it to US immigration crackdowns. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the policy as a return to pre-2015 routine processes, aiming to reduce the number of unlawful non-citizens to meet budget forecasts. Critics, including human rights advocates, have raised concerns about the involvement of private prison operators and the potential impact on asylum seekers and vulnerable populations.
- ▪The government plans to hire 100 new compliance officers and free up 250 detention beds to manage approximately 77,000 unlawful non-citizens.
- ▪Greens senator David Shoebridge criticized the policy as a 'Donald Trump twist' on immigration, noting that the detention centers will be run by a US private prison multinational.
- ▪Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke dismissed the comparisons to US policies as ridiculous, stating the plan simply restores a routine process that existed before 2015.
- ▪The policy is part of a broader strategy to reduce net overseas migration from 292,100 to 245,000 in the 2026/27 fiscal year to meet budget forecasts.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/18/labors-plans-for-visa-overstayer-detention-centres-a-donald-trump-twist-on-australian-immigration-ntwnfb |
| Publication time | Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:40:45 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-18T07:58:45.265Z |
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Australian Greens senator David Shoebridge, pictured, has compared Labor’s new migration plans with those of the Trump administration. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPView image in fullscreenAustralian Greens senator David Shoebridge, pictured, has compared Labor’s new migration plans with those of the Trump administration. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPAustralian politicsLabor’s plans for visa overstayer detention centres branded a ‘Donald Trump twist’ on immigrationAustralian Greens senator compares government’s policy to ICE as Tony Burke calls it a ‘ridiculous claim’ Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast Caitlin Cassidy and Sarah Basford CanalesFri 18 Sep 2026 03.40 EDTLast modified on Fri 18 Sep 2026 03.56 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe federal government’s move…
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