The magnitude and complexity of the issues arising from the flow of asylum seekers and refugees globally poses huge challenges for the world’s destination countries, including Australia. These countries universally struggle to maintain a balance between controlling national borders and
offering protection to millions of displaced people.

National asylum systems are in place to determine who qualifies for international protection. However, during mass movements of refugees, usually as a result of conflict or violence, it is not always possible or necessary to conduct individual interviews with every asylum seeker who crosses a border. These groups are often called ‘prima facie’ refugees.

A family of Tamil asylum seekers detained on Christmas Island will not be resettled in New Zealand or the United States despite the Australian government previously indicating it was a possibility.

On Monday, the image of a small girl in a hospital bed, crying as her big sister gives her a kiss flooded social media feeds. The girls are Tharunicaa and Kopika Murugappan, the only two children in immigration detention in Australia.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on Tuesday confirmed the family would be removed from Christmas Island, where they have been detained for over two years, and held in community detention in Perth as their legal claims were assessed.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke says he has granted bridging visas to the three oldest members of the Tamil asylum seeker family from Biloela, providing them work and study rights while they reside in the Perth community.