New Border Force unit to target 77,000 visa overstayers

Australia will stand up a dedicated Border Force compliance unit of about 100 officers to locate and detain people who have remained after visas expired. Home Affairs data put the cohort without a valid visa above 77,000, up from about 64,000 in 2016. Burke told ABC the officers would operate in “white shirts, name badges and no guns,” distinguishing the approach from US ICE-style raids, and said schools, hospitals and community centres would continue to be avoided. The government is adding detention capacity — including possible reuse of Mickleham’s former quarantine site — arguing detention creates an incentive for voluntary departure. Human-rights groups warn expanded detention may chill reporting of worker exploitation; employers face higher removal risk for unlawful staff.