Aus-US refugee deal 'madness': Congressman

Republican congressman Brian Babin believes president-elect Donald Trump will overturn Australia's one-off refugee deal with the United States.

Congressman Brian Babin believes Australia's one-off refugee deal with the US will be overturned. (AAP) Source: AAP

The future of Australia's deal with the United States to resettle refugees on Manus Island and Nauru rests on Malcolm Turnbull's shoulders, Labor says.

A US congressman on Monday cast doubt over whether the one-off agreement with the Obama administration - announced in November - will proceed under Donald Trump.

Texas Republican Brian Babin labelled the plan "madness" and said it was done behind closed doors without any input from Congress.

"I am confident President-elect Trump will do everything in his power to put an immediate stop to this secret Australian-US refugee deal that should have simply never happened in the first place," he told Fairfax Media.

Acting Opposition Leader Penny Wong said it would be disappointing if the agreement did not go ahead.

"Ultimately that's a matter for Prime Minister Turnbull to resolve with the incoming president," she told reporters in Adelaide.