The Australian government has announced a landmark “one-off” resettlement deal to the United States for some refugees held at Australia’s remote offshore detention facilities on Nauru and Manus Island. Asked about the potential closure of the Manus Island detention facility in the wake of the announcement, Dutton noted Papua New Guinea had announced it would close and he had nothing to add. According to the latest figures from Australia’s immigration department there are 872 people held in the Manus Island detention centre and 390 held in the Nauru facility. The Australian government’s deal will only apply to those who have received positive refugee determinations on Manus Island and Nauru. Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian journalist detained on Manus Island, told Guardian Australia refugees he had spoken to would be happy to go to the US.

Source: The Guardian November 13, 2016 00:12 UTC