Dozens of People are searching for asylum in Australia as their US homeland turns into more and more fractured and politically unstable throughout Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Not less than 29 US residents utilized for humanitarian safety visas within the first six months since Trump’s return to the White Home in January 2025, based on Division of House Affairs figures obtained below Freedom of Info legal guidelines.
The deputy chief govt of the Asylum Seeker Useful resource Centre (ASRC), Jana Favero, mentioned the centre had additionally seen a rise within the variety of individuals from the US calling its helplines for recommendation on how you can declare safety.
“We’re deeply involved in regards to the growing assaults on human rights in america, and specifically the concentrating on of the LGBTIQ+ group,” Favero mentioned.
The house affairs information doesn’t embrace particular causes for the functions, however to be accepted as a refugee in Australia, an asylum seeker should be assessed as having a “well-founded concern of persecution” because of their race, faith, nationality, membership of a selected social group or political opinion.
The info exhibits asylum functions from US residents have steadily elevated since Trump was inaugurated on 20 January, albeit from a low base.
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Fewer than 5 US residents utilized for asylum between February and April.
The variety of functions rose to 5 in Could, seven in June and 14 in July, leading to a minimal of 29 and a most of 38 lodgments over six months.
The precise quantity is unclear as a result of the division doesn’t disclose the determine for months with fewer than 5 functions.
By comparability, dwelling affairs recorded fewer than 5 asylum functions from US residents in every of the ultimate six months of 2024. All of the functions relate to subclass 866 onshore safety visas, which can be found to individuals who arrive in Australia on a legitimate visa earlier than searching for asylum.
No safety visas have been granted to US residents between January and July 2025. Nevertheless, functions can take months and even years to be finalised.
Prof Daniel Ghezelbash, the director of the Kaldor centre for worldwide refugee regulation on the College of NSW, mentioned that whether or not an asylum seeker is granted safety will depend on the danger of persecution on the time their software is assessed, not the time the applying was submitted.
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“So, no matter whether or not they utilized below Trump or below Biden, the current ones would have been determined within the context of Trump being in energy,” Ghezelbash mentioned.
House affairs handles about 2,000 subclass 866 visa functions every month, which means US residents make up lower than 1% of instances. Solely about one in six functions from all international locations leads to a visa being granted, based on statistics revealed by the division.
People who find themselves granted a subclass 866 visa are allowed to remain in Australia completely and have a path to full citizenship.
In August, Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board reported it had obtained 245 US refugee claims within the first six months of 2025, which was greater than in any full yr since 2019. Eire has equally recorded a pointy rise in asylum functions from US residents since Trump’s election win.
The house affairs division didn’t reply to a request for remark.
