Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Group of 22 Nauru refugees bound for US

A group of 22 refugees are leaving Nauru to be resettled in the United States.

A group of 22 refugees are on their way from Nauru to the United States where they will be resettled.

The 21 men and one woman will fly from Nauru airport to Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, refugee advocate Ian Rintoul says.

They are among some 130 refugees who will leave the island this month under Australia's resettlement deal with the US.

The group includes Afghanis, Pakistanis and stateless Rohingya refugees, and they are the second group to depart Nauru.

But Mr Rintoul, spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, says the resettlement process is flawed because Iranians are being excluded, sparking protests at the island.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

He also said one Rohingya man, who is leaving on Sunday, had family in Australia and had initially declined to travel to the US.

"I don't know anyone there," he told the Refugee Action Coalition, according to a statement from the group on Sunday.

The US resettlement deal was struck between former president Barack Obama and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, providing a path out of detention for refugees offshore, including at Manus Island and Nauru.


1 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world