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Australia has quietly deported the first member of the NZYQ cohort to Nauru, marking the beginning of a controversial plan to remove more than 350 former immigration detainees from the country under a deal potentially worth $2.5 billion over 30 years. Nauruan President David Adeang confirmed Friday that the first person had arrived under the new agreement, which Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended Tuesday, saying those with cancelled visas should leave Australia. The 358-person cohort was released into the Australian community following a landmark 2023 High Court ruling that found indefinite detention unlawful, though most have had their visas cancelled on character grounds due to criminal convictions.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed last Tuesday, Australia agreed to pay Nauru $408 million upon the first arrival — including $20 million for setup costs and $388 million into a jointly managed trust — plus up to $70 million annually depending on transfer numbers. If all members are deported, the cost will exceed $7 million per person. The deportees will receive 30-year visas allowing them to live, work and travel freely among Nauru’s 12,000 residents, though human rights lawyers and the Greens have criticized the opaque agreement as potentially breaching Australia’s international obligations. The government has repeatedly refused to release the full agreement publicly, and the timeline for bulk deportations remains unclear as legal challenges continue.
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