Eighty asylum seekers have been released from immigration detention "almost immediately" following a landmark decision by the Australian High Court.
Last week, the court found that indefinite immigration detention was unlawful, overturning a two-decade-old decision.
This precedent had allowed asylum seekers who failed character assessments to be held in detention indefinitely if they could not be deported because they were deemed genuine refugees, were stateless, or would not be accepted by their home country.
Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles stated the government was prepared for the outcome and revealed that 80 people had been released as a result.
"We were required to release people almost immediately to abide by the decision the High Court mandated," he told ABC radio today.
Giles emphasised community protection was a top priority, and those released were required to regularly report to the Australian Federal Police and Border Force.
Last Wednesday, the High Court ruled that a stateless Rohingya man in detention, who had previously served time in jail for child sex abuse, had been unlawfully detained.
"We have taken every step to ensure community safety," Giles said.
"There are about 90 people who are likely to be in similar circumstances to that individual."
Giles urged he was "looking at every lawful step we can take to ensure going forward, we have taken every measure to ensure the safety of the Australian community".
Most of the asylum seekers who were kept in detention had failed character tests, while some had also been deemed a risk to national security.
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