Under the new government legislation passed last month, refugee residence visas will be stripped if they pose a threat to national security.
This comes after a review following a suspected terrorist stabbing attack in Lynn mall four years ago found it is not possible under international law to take action against refugees who security services believed were dangerous.
The perpetrator seriously injured four women and a man with a knife during the attack at Countdown in LynnMall before he was shot dead by police who were following him.
However, the new legislation would still not allow would-be terrorists to be deported, but they could have their residence visas cancelled and replaced with temporary ones.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said that hopefully the change would make them think twice or leave on their own accord.
“I hope that they would be in a far more restricted and uncertain place, that they would likely leave themselves.”
“Or potentially, make them think twice about the activity that they’re going to do in the first place, because we are not going to protect you to the same level that we were before, in terms of giving you a residence class visa and allowing you to buy a house, sponsor family members and all those things. It will be more restrictive and so, hopefully they’ll think twice, and then secondly, hopefully they will self-deport.”
Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespie welcomed the change and wanted to see stronger action.
“Ninety-nine point nine per cent of refugees are never in that situation where they represent a threat to our country, and I firmly believe we should do more to accept more refugees from overseas. But if you allow people in or allow them to stay, if they are a threat to the community, it’s not only the damage that they do to the community, it’s the damage that they do to future refugees.”
Photo Credit: ODT
