New York: The Trump White House has publicly confirmed they will honour a deal struck by the Obama administration to take more than a thousand refugees from Australia's offshore detention centres, but said any people considered by the United States for resettlement would be subject to "extreme vetting".
President Donald Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, confirmed the deal would "go forward" and for the first time revealed that it would involve 1250 refugees.
More World News Videos
- Video duration
- 00:28
Trump calls Turnbull about refugee deal
Trump calls Turnbull about refugee deal
In a 25-minute call with Malcolm Turnbull, Donald Trump said he will honour the Manus and Nauru deal. (Video courtesy: ABC News 24)
Up Next
Tech takes on Trump legally
- Video duration
- 00:54
- Video duration
- 00:54
Tech takes on Trump legally
Tech takes on Trump legally
Tech companies such as Google, Netflix and Airbnb plan to meet to discuss an amicus brief to back a lawsuit challenging President Trump's order curbing immigration.
Up Next
Snap to list shares on the NYSE
- Video duration
- 01:13
- Video duration
- 01:13
Snap to list shares on the NYSE
Snap to list shares on the NYSE
The New York Stock Exchange beat out Nasdaq to host this year's most high profile IPO.
Up Next
Rolf Harris an opportunistic groper, court hears
- Video duration
- 01:17
- Video duration
- 01:17
Rolf Harris an opportunistic groper, ...
Rolf Harris an opportunistic groper, court hears
The lawyer for the Australian entertainer has accused complainants in an indecent assault trial in London of either lying or exaggerating in their evidence. (Video courtesy: ABC News 24)
Up Next
Snoopy up for sale
- Video duration
- 01:10
- Video duration
- 01:10
Snoopy up for sale
Snoopy up for sale
Sources say the Iconix Brand Group that own the rights to Snoopy, are exploring a sale of its majority stake in Peanuts Worldwide.
Up Next
Turkey's central bank defends lira
- Video duration
- 01:39
- Video duration
- 01:39
Turkey's central bank defends lira
Turkey's central bank defends lira
Turkey's central bank has vowed to stick with its unorthodox steps to manage the fall in the lira, saying its moves to drive up funding costs were working and would continue until the inflation outlook improves.
Up Next
Prince Charles: Holocaust lessons being forgotten
- Video duration
- 01:11
- Video duration
- 01:11
Prince Charles: Holocaust lessons being ...
Prince Charles: Holocaust lessons being forgotten
The Prince of Wales warns the lessons of the Second World War are in danger of being forgotten during an address to a fundraising dinner to the World Jewish Relief charity. (Vision courtesy: Seven)
Up Next
Pakistan detains alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks
- Video duration
- 00:57
- Video duration
- 00:57
Pakistan detains alleged mastermind of ...
Pakistan detains alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks
Police have arrested Hafiz Saeed, the man accused by the US and India of orchestrating the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
Trump calls Turnbull about refugee deal
In a 25-minute call with Malcolm Turnbull, Donald Trump said he will honour the Manus and Nauru deal. (Video courtesy: ABC News 24)
The comments came during the daily White House press briefing on Tuesday afternoon in Washington, just days after a phone between Prime Malcolm Turnbull and the new president.
"Part of the deal is they have to be vetted in the same manner that we are doing now. There will be extreme vetting applied to all of them," Mr Spicer said.
Related Content
"That is part and parcel of the deal that was made. It was made by the Obama administration with the full backing of the United States government."
"The President, in accordance with that deal, to honour what had been agreed upon by the United States government, and ensuring that that vetting will take place, in the same manner that we're doing now, will go forward."
There were fears that a recent executive order signed by Mr Trump, placing a temporary ban on refugees entering the United States as well as travel restrictions for people from seven Muslim-majority countries, would prevent the asylum seekers being held on Manus Island and Nauru from being accepted for resettlement.
The federal government says there are 383 people held on Nauru and 871 held on Manus Island.
Some of the group are from the seven countries named in executive order, including Iran, Iraq and Somalia.
Mr Spicer did not take a follow-up question on the deal and did not elaborate on the process of "extreme vetting" that would take place before resettlements occur.
The Turnbull government has previously indicated it is talking to regional partners about finding a permanent home for refugees not settled in the US.
Processing for the deal by US immigration and Homeland Security officials is more advanced on Nauru, with application interviews and security vetting continuing last week. No interviews have taken place on Manus Island.
Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the announcement would add to anxiety for those people held by Australia.
"This is a number that is not going to guarantee resettlement of all those people who have found to be refugees on Nauru and Manus, so the government has been rather loose with the truth," he said.
"There is now a very serious question over the length of time this process will take. It looks like even people who have been found to be refugees will wait for another year or even longer."
He said there was no transparency on Nauru about how selection for secondary interviews was made.
"Almost everyone on Nauru has put in applications but not everyone is being spoken to. There's already a very high level of anxiety about how that process is playing out," Mr Rintoul said.