We are only 10 days in but 2022 has already brought with it so many surprises. One of which is the Djokovic saga. Who knew that an international tennis star could highlight many of the cracks in Australia's immigration legal system; the cracks we deal with on a daily basis on behalf of our clients.

Like Djokovic, individuals in immigration detention (asylum seekers and persons whose visas have been cancelled) have faced detention and difficulty accessing legal advice. Unlike the international tennis star, they have often been deported, in secret and without any opportunity for judicial review. For them, deportation means return to a place where they may face harm or death, separated from their families, or removed to a country they do not and permanently excluded from the only country (Australia) they know.

We need a process that is clearer and fairer.

Journalist for The Age, Sangeetha Pillai, wrote an excellent opinion piece, for those interested in further reading.