Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, told a refugee rights forum on June 2 that a sanctuary network, involving churches and unions, is being built in the wake of new laws which make it easier to deport people.
Karapanagiotidi told Refugee Action Collective Victoria’s forum that the laws were rushed through following the High Court decision which led to the release of 250 detainees. He said only a small minority of these had committed serious crimes, with most either having committed minor offences or done nothing illegal.
Karapanagiotidis pointed out that 60,000 Australians are released from prison every year after serving their sentences. He said they often receive support afterwards, but non-citizens are detained and deported, even if they have lived here most of their lives.
Karapanagiotidis explained new laws allow authorities to be able to take phones from detainees, cutting their communication with the outside world. The government can designate certain countries as a “country of removal concern”, banning anybody from that country from coming to Australia.
The government can also detain people while they are having their case heard in the courts. It can order people to self-deport and jail them if they refuse. It can deport them to any country in the world.
A video from activist Clare Fester, in Los Angeles, about Donald Trump’s policies was shown. Fester said that former US Presidents Barrack Obama and Joe Biden had deported more people than Trump had done during his first term. But during his second term the intimidation has increased with Trump aiming to terrorise people to leave “voluntarily”.
However, there has been resistance. Teachers in Los Angeles resisted the entry of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers into their schools. The Chicano and Latino communities have been organising to resist.
Ellen Roberts, who was involved in the campaign to prevent the deportation of baby Asha in 2016, also addressed the forum. Baby Asha had been brought to the Lady Cilento Hospital in Magan-djin/Brisbane from Nauru for medical treatment. The Coalition government wanted to send her back to Nauru, but an 11-day vigil outside the hospital helped prevent this. It was part of a broader campaign in support of 267 refugees brought to Australia for medical treatment.
Roberts said that a variety of tactics were used, including court cases, mass rallies throughout the country and workplace actions. Some churches also offered sanctuary. Roberts said that direct action was also central. Hospital entrances were blocked to prevent Asha’s deportation.
The campaign won with Asha and the other refugees remaining in Australia. But because they are on temporary visas, they could still be deported.
Karapanagiotidis said the government has not used the new laws yet. Among those under threat are 8500 people who came to Australia by boat from Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka, and who have been in limbo for at least 12 years. They have organised protests demanding permanent visas, including a 100-day protest outside the Home Affairs office in Naarm.
Karapanagiotidis said that test cases will be run before the High Court but that there is also a need for street action on including protests at MP’s electorate offices. He also recommended phoning MPs and writing them emails.