‘Extreme vetting’ delays US refugee swap deal

AUSTRALIA’S refugee resettlement deal with the US is being held up while the Trump administration works out what “extreme vetting” will be, while the Border Force boss says they have reached a “stale- mate” with people smugglers.

Immigration Department boss Michael Pezzullo told a Senate Estimates committee yesterday that no vetting had taken place on any of the 1250 detainees in detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru because the Trump administration was looking at its “vetting threshold”.

He said the deal was ready but was waiting for a review into the process, expected to be handed to US President Donald Trump last night.

“Until that process is concluded, our colleagues in the Homeland Security department are poised and ready but they still need to await that authorisation to commence the vetting process,” Mr Pezzullo said.

“Australia is assisting in that regard.

“We’re doing some work that will assist in the expedition of the vetting, but US officials are currently not in a position to undertake the vetting until they get that direction.”

Mr Pezzullo said the US State Department had teams already “pre-screening” refugees.

Mr Trump has raised issues with the resettlement arrangement, calling it “the worst deal ever” and said anyone accepted would be subject to “extreme vetting”.

But Mr Pezzullo reiterated that the US Government had agreed to honour the deal, brokered by the Obama administration.