Associate Professor Ben Saul comments on the case of the 89 people transferred from the Christmas Island detention facility to the Villawood Centre in Sydney on ABC Radio Current Affairs Program, PM.

According to reports, the 89 transferred have had their claims for refugee status rejected and they're on a "removal pathway" out of Australia.
This prompted the Federal Oppostion to suggest that the Government has opened the way for new legal challenges.
However, Associate Professor Ben Saul thinks a successful legal challenge is unlikely.

"By a plain reading of the Migration Act there aren't really any loopholes there.

"Your status stays the same until you get a protection visa.

"And these people haven't got that," he says.