Sara, an Australian woman, has made a public plea to prevent her father's deportation to Nauru, describing the Pacific island nation as a place of 'final and lifelong punishment'. Her father is part of the NZYQ cohort, a group of over 350 individuals who were released from indefinite immigration detention after Australia's High Court ruled it unlawful in 2023.
The NZYQ cohort comprises people who have had their visas cancelled on character grounds but cannot be deported to their country of origin. Last year, the Australian government signed a secretive deal to deport members of this group to Nauru on 30-year visas. Sara fears her father could be among the next to be sent there.
Sara's father returned to Australia's east coast after years in onshore immigration detention following the High Court ruling. However, the prospect of deportation to Nauru has left the family in distress. Sara spoke to Nour Haydar about her fears and the impact on her family.
The deal with Nauru has been criticised by human rights advocates, who argue it subjects individuals to indefinite offshore detention. The Australian government has not disclosed the full details of the arrangement, citing national security concerns.
