Bridging visas let 'violent asylum seekers' into communities

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Created on Friday, 07 June 2013 15:00

Written by Editorial staff

The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday (June 6) that violent asylum seekers are being released into Australian communities on bridging visas.

These migration visas exist in five classes, and are basically used to make non-citizens temporarily "lawful" for a period of time.

They can be asylum seekers in a variety of circumstances, such as when they are undertaking a substantive visa or citizenship application, or making arrangements to leave Australia.

"The alternative to putting asylum seekers in the community is to detain people while their claims for protection are assessed," said immigration minister Brendan O'Connor in a May 7 statement.

"This is not only expensive, it takes a toll on people's mental health and wellbeing."

However, an insider told the Sydney Morning Herald that many detainees are being released before the mandatory health, security and identity checks have been completed.

One such detainee is Khoda Doost, who was involved in "more than 250 incidents, including assaulting staff, and released in Victoria where he threatened to kill people and burn down his house," according to the Herald report.

The insider speculates that this could be because the Department of Immigration has decided that 2,000 asylum seekers should be released on bridging visas each and every month.