Arad and Pouya, who arrived in Australia together in 2012, have had vastly different paths since their arrival, with Arad now owning a business and living securely, while Pouya, approaching adulthood, remains on a bridging visa unable to plan a future. These young people, known as "the overlooked children of boat people", fear deportation to countries they barely know and are calling for empathy from the government.
Bardia, a teenager from Melbourne, is among nearly 10,000 individuals who arrived in Australia by boat around the same time, facing uncertain futures due to rejected refugee claims from a fast-tracked process criticized for being unfair. The "defective mechanism" has left many stuck in a state of limbo on bridging visas with limited rights, prompting concerns about their safety and stability in the only home they know.
Hasti, another young person raised in Australia, recently saw her bridging visa expire, amplifying worries about possible deportation and the lack of support for her family. Families like Pouya's and Hasti's are anxious about the government's proposed bill that could lead to forced deportations, impacting not just a few individuals but potentially thousands who were failed by the flawed refugee assessment process. The legislation aims to close a perceived loophole and enforce cooperation for voluntary return or face penalties and travel bans.
The bill, currently under scrutiny and facing opposition from various quarters including human rights activists and lawmakers, has raised concerns about its potential to separate families and infringe on fundamental human rights. Criticisms also revolve around the perceived cruelty of the system towards the children of asylum seekers who find themselves in an increasingly precarious situation. The community is standing up against the bill, with calls for significant amendments and reconsideration of its impact on vulnerable individuals caught in a legal quagmire.