Angus Taylor grilled over ‘ICE squad’ as Coalition unveils plan to slash migration and deport visa overstayers
Angus Taylor has been pressed on how far the Coalition would go to enforce its sweeping migration crackdown and deport visa overstayers.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has been grilled over whether Australia could see an American-style immigration crackdown as the Coalition vows to track down and deport people living in the country without a valid visa.
Mr Taylor was pressed on Sunrise on Wednesday over how his government would find people who had overstayed their visas, as he spruiked a sweeping plan to slash net overseas migration to 100,000 for two years.
Asked whether officials would knock on doors and whether the operation could resemble US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, Mr Taylor pointed to existing Australian security and border agencies.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Well, you know, our intelligence and security agencies are good at what they do, but they have to be given the resources and the capacity to do it,” he said.
Pressed again on whether there would be an “ICE squad”, Mr Taylor rejected the comparison.
“Well, it’s not about that. We’re using existing agencies to do their jobs. The Federal Police, Border Force, ASIO, all of these agencies,” he said.
“This is what they do. But you’ve got to give them the resources and you’ve got to set them up in the right way.”
Mr Taylor said identifying and deporting people without valid visas would form part of a broader push to regain control of Australia’s borders.
“First of all, you’ve got to identify them and then you’ve got to deport them,” he said.
“These are people who have overstayed their welcome. They no longer have a valid visa. They’ve exhausted all avenues for appeal, and they shouldn’t be in our country.”
The comments come as the Coalition promises to slash net overseas migration to 100,000 for two years before allowing it to rise to as much as 160,000 in the fourth year.
The plan would also virtually eliminate bridging and graduate visas and dramatically reduce undergraduate student numbers.
Mr Taylor argued Australia needed “breathing space” to allow housing, infrastructure and essential services to catch up with population growth.
But he also insisted the Coalition’s policy was about more than reducing migration numbers, arguing Australia needed people with the “right skills” and “right values”.
“We can’t have people coming to this country who don’t believe what we believe in,” he said.
Mr Taylor referenced the deadly Bondi attack while making the argument, pointing to the visa status of one of those involved.
“I mean, seriously, this is not the Australia that I grew up in and it’s not the Australia I want to see now,” he said.
“We need to raise the standards. As we cut the numbers. We need to make sure we regain control of our borders.”
Mr Taylor also dismissed suggestions the Coalition was following One Nation’s lead on migration after being challenged over the minor party’s growing political influence.
“I have no idea what One Nation’s immigration policy is. I don’t know what the numbers are. They can’t agree on it,” he said.
“What I do know is what our policy is, and our policy is to reverse the record level of immigration with a record cut.”
Mr Taylor said Australia should remain a country for migrants committed to making it their home.
“We’re not just a hotel, but we are a home to people who are committed to our country.”
