Lengthy and rigorous security vetting by the US Department of Homeland security of the Australian offshore immigration detention centers is leading people within to fear for their fate.
Texas Republican Brian Babin, a well-known critic of Mr Obama's refugee resettlement policies made his stance known and predicted what the incoming party would do.
"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.
"It was made behind closed doors without any input from Congress. In fact, when Congress asked for details on the agreement and the refugees, the Obama administration refused to share the information. This secret deal to import dangerous refugees into the US is exactly what the American people soundly rejected in November with the election of Donald Trump." he continued.
While the deal dealt with immigrants it also had other benefits such as Australia committing $130 million for further aid to displaced people around the world.
Optimism exists among Australian diplomats in the US that refugee resettlements will still proceed, even taking into account Mr Trump's mooted ban on Muslim immigration and inflammatory campaign rhetoric about refugees.
source: thecourier.com.au
