Donald Trump could cause a headache for Malcolm Turnbull on the issue of refugees as the US president fulfils an election promise.
The prime minister and former US president Barack Obama last year reached an agreement to resettle as many as 1600 refugees processed on Nauru and Manus Island.
The final numbers would be up to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the US government, and the timing would be determined by the US.
However, there is some doubt whether Donald Trump will honour the deal, given his campaign comments on refugees and immigrants and pressure from Republican politicians.
Mr Trump is expected to sign a number of executive orders on Wednesday (Washington time) to temporarily restrict access to the US by refugees.
The president flagged the nature of his announcement on Twitter.
"Big day planned on national security tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall," the president wrote, referring to his proposed wall along the US-Mexican border.
He could also block immigration from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The president is expected to ask the US Department of Homeland Security to come up with tighter vetting processes and instruct the State Department to stop issuing visas to people from particular countries.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told AAP the arrangement with the US was "unique" and reflected the depth of the Australia-US relationship.
"We look forward to working with President Trump, his administration, and in particular Secretary of Homeland Security General John Kelly, on this issue and many others of shared interest in the years ahead," Mr Dutton said.
"We will continue to work with our friends in the United States on the arrangement but will not provide a running commentary through the media."
During the election campaign, Mr Trump proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US, which he said would protect Americans from jihadist attacks.
However since then he's played down the comment and instead talked up focusing restrictions on countries whose emigres could pose a threat, rather than placing a ban on people who follow a specific religion.
At least three congressional Republicans have publicly stated their opposition to the deal with Australia.
Senator Chuck Grassley and Representative Bob Goodlatte said many of the Nauru and Manus Island refugees were from "countries of national security concern", such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Iraq.
Texas Republican Brian Babin labelled the plan "madness" and criticised the former president for not consulting Congress.
Dougal Robinson, from the US Studies Centre, told AAP if the ban on refugees from particular countries went ahead it would make it very difficult for the Australian deal to be honoured.
"Immigration was central to his campaign," Mr Robinson said of Trump.
"(His tweet) shows he is clearly linking the Department of Homeland Security and immigration and refugee issues with the concept of national security."
Mr Robinson said it was possible the deal may merely be delayed, while new processes were put in place by Homeland Security.
Australia had a lot of goodwill in Washington and was viewed as a close ally, he said, which made it possible the deal could be renegotiated.
