Australia proposes law to allow prison time for high-risk migrants who breach visa conditions

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Migrants with crimional records in Australia will face up to five years in prison for breaching their visa conditions under emergency legislation introduced in response to a High Court ruling that foreigners migrants can’t be detained indefinitely. The government said that by Thursday it has released 83 foreigners since the court ruled last week that indefinite detention of migrants is unconstitutional. Most of those freed have been convicted of crimes that include murder and rape. The decision reversed a 2004 precedent that stateless people could be detained for any length of time when there were no prospects of deporting them. The legislation has been rushed through the House of Representatives but has yet to pass the Senate.