Australia Agrees $2.5B Deal with Nauru for Deportee Resettlement

Australia has entered a A$2.5 billion (US$1.62 billion) agreement with the Pacific island nation of Nauru to house deported non-citizens over the next 30 years. This deal involves an upfront payment of A$400 million to establish an endowment fund and annual payments of A$70 million, with provisions allowing Australia to reclaim funds if Nauru accepts fewer deportees than expected. The arrangement targets individuals whose visas were canceled on character grounds or due to criminal convictions and who cannot be returned to their home countries, and is supported by forthcoming legislation aimed at easing deportations by limiting court appeals. Human rights groups have criticized the deal, describing it as "dumping" refugees in small island states and raising concerns about healthcare access for deportees in Nauru. Nauru, a small nation heavily reliant on foreign aid and already hosting Australian-funded asylum seeker processing centers, will manage the funds jointly with Australia under a national trust that includes clawback safeguards. This move follows a High Court ruling against indefinite immigration detention and fits into a broader policy framework supported by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government and the opposition Liberal Party.