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Trump’s use of the description “illegal immigrants” is loaded, and wrong.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!

It is not illegal to arrive in a foreign country without a visa or other documents in order to seek asylum: international law permits it, as does Australian domestic law.

The vast majority of the people held on both of Australia’s offshore detention islands have been found to be refugees – that is they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their homeland and they are legally owed protection.

It is unlawful to forcibly return those people to their home country under the principle of non-refoulement.

On Manus Island, of 859 people finally assessed, 669 (78%) have been found to be refugees; 190 have been found not to have a claim for protection.

On Nauru, of 1200 refugee status determinations, 983 people (82%) have been found to be refugees, while 217 were refused refugee status.

Only those whose refugee status had been granted were eligible for the US resettlement deal.