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Nearly 200 Manus Island and Nauru refugees to be resettled in US: reports

December 16, 2017
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her offer to take 150 of the men is "in Australia's hands".

About 200 refugees on Manus Island and Nauru are set to be be resettled in the US in January.

The Guardian reports 130 people from Nauru have been accepted to resetlle in the US and around 60 from Papua New Guinea. 

However Turmp's newly reinstated travel ban will rule out certain nationalities from resettling, including Iranians and Somalis. 

It will be the second group to be resettled in the US following a 2016 deal with Australia. 

National Party leader Bill English this week said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's repeated efforts to encourage Australia to allow Manus Island refugees to come to New Zealand could hamper other diplomatic efforts.

Ms Ardern has repeatedly pressed Australian politicians to allow 150 refugees detained in Papua New Guinea to come to New Zealand, with the latest effort this week in a meeting with Australian opposition leader Bill Shorten.

It is the Australian government's policy to not let any of the hundreds of detainees resettle in Australia under any circumstances.

The Australian Government has said it doesn't want to disrupt an arrangement it has with the US to take refugees from Manus Island, and also doesn't want them to be able to use New Zealand as a stepping stone to get to Australia.

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