Peter Dutton who is set to be sworn in today as immigration minister has issued a stern warning to migrants engaged in criminal activities, saying they are now at the top of his hit-list according to a report in The Courier Mail. 

Mr Dutton, who was police officer for 9 years worked in the Sex Offenders Squad, Drug Squad, and the then National Crime Authority told the newspapers that if he can find a way to kick out those involved in serious crimes, he will.

Recently introduced legislation has vastly increased the powers of the minister to cancel visas and will undoubtedly help the new minister hit his targets. The powers effectively lowered the threshold for the cancellation of temporary visas for non-citizens. A person can now fail the character test if there's a 'reasonable suspicion' - not a conviction - for involvement in crime gangs, people smuggling, genocide, war crimes, torture or slavery. Anyone who has one or multiple jail sentences adding up to 12 months - down from two years - or has an adverse ASIO assessment of child sex charges can also fail automatically. The minister can cancel or refuse a visa to anyone who fails the character test.

Peter Dutton who left the health portfolio to replace Scott Morrison as Immigration Minister during this week’s reshuffle, intends to use these powers, which Morrison had most recently used to cancel 27 visas of violent criminals, and says the Government will place greater emphasis on finding criminals to boot out of the country.

“If you’re an illegal bikie, if you’re part of an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in organised criminal activity, you’ve just made it to the top of my list,” Mr Dutton told The Courier Mail.

He said he would draw on any legislation he could to ensure his tough focus was enforced.

“Coming to Australia is a privilege and if you’re coming here harming Australians, ripping off our welfare system, committing serious crimes ... then you’re at the top of my list for deporting,” he said.

Mr Dutton also said he planned to “meet head on” issues such as narcotics, illegal weapons and the sex trade.

He said he would not be “giving an inch” to people smugglers, adding that the Government was “more determined than ever to crush their model”.

But Mr Dutton said he did not anticipate his approach differing too much from that of the outgoing Immigration Minister.