This article was originally published by Lucy from Naarm. You can find the original article here.
Australian Border Force officers are allegedly routinely using discriminatory and racist profiling practices which is resulting in Asian women and transgender travellers being profiled as as potential migrant sex workers, leading to detentions, invasive searches, and visa cancellations. Advocacy groups and individuals are calling for greater transparency and accountability in border security practices.
A South-East Asian transgender woman, who will remain unnamed, was recently detained upon arrival in Australia despite holding valid travel documents. She was subjected to intensive questioning, had her personal belongings searched, and her visa was subsequently cancelled. She alleges that ABF officers targeted her based on her appearance and gender identity.
“At [Redacted] Airport, I was unfairly targeted, questioned, and forced to grant access to my phone without reasonable cause.”
Data obtained by advocacy groups suggests a disproportionate number of Asian women are being stopped and questioned by ABF officers. Critics argue that these practices amount to racial and gender profiling, infringing on individual rights and freedoms.
A statement from Scarlet Alliance, stated, “The government’s own data demonstrates skewed Border Force profiling of Asian women under 30 years old. Despite policy recommendations to end such targeting, we continue to see discriminatory practices.”
In August 2023, the Australian government accepted recommendations to cease the profiling of Asian migrant sex workers as part of efforts to combat human trafficking. However, activists say that in practice, little has changed.
As a transgender woman of colour, I have personally experienced similar treatment. In March this year, upon returning to Australia from a trip to the US, I was subjected to invasive lines of questioning by Australian Border Force agents. I had never been questioned by Australian Border Force in the other approximately ten times I’ve entered the country prior to my gender transition.
AMSWAG, a group representing Asian Migrant Sex Workers is campaigning to end discriminatory practices, and you can help by contacting your MP.
