Refugees who arrived in Australia by boat a decade ago are pleading with the government not to punish them and their families.
In December, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison issued a directive instructing the department to give applications for family reunions from boat refugees the lowest processing priority.
This means it will be harder for refugees who have already been granted permanent visas and who have been in the country for years to be reunited with their families.
Refugee advocate Jamal Daoud on Wednesday accused the government of discriminating against permanent residents who arrived by boat.
"This is clear discrimination against people who hold valid permanent residency," he told AAP on Wednesday during a protest outside Mr Morrison's electorate office in Cronulla.
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"If these people made a mistake by coming by boat, their families and kids should not pay the price."
Mr Daoud said the coalition's decision to target retrospective boat arrivals was inconsistent and unfair.
"This government is playing with the lives of people. We're talking about human lives here."
Mr Morrison said the immigration program had limited places and priority was being given to those who do not arrive by boat.
"It is not my view that someone who has arrived illegally by boat should be advantaged in the queue for family reunion against other people who have arrived legally in Australia," he told reporters in Canberra.
But he said family reunion had not been completely closed for "legacy cases".
"It's just the order of priority in which I've asked the department to provide places under the program," he said.
