Sydney Palestinian Woman Freed After Visa Cancellation

Download IPFS

Maha Almassri, a 61-year-old Palestinian woman, was released from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney on July 17, 2025, one week after her visa was cancelled by the Assistant Minister for Citizenship. This article examines the controversial detention, the lack of transparency in the decision, and concerns over the Albanese government’s immigration policies.

On July 10, 2025, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers raided Almassri’s son’s home in Punchbowl, Sydney, at 5:30 a.m., detaining the grandmother who fled Gaza in February 2024. Documents seen by The Guardian reveal Assistant Minister Julian Hill personally cancelled her bridging visa, citing a failed character test based on an Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) assessment deeming her a “direct or indirect risk to security.” Almassri, who arrived on a tourist visa and applied for a protection visa in June 2024, was held at Bankstown police station before transfer to Villawood. Her cousin, Mohammed Almassri, told The Guardian, “She’s an old lady, what can she do?” describing the raid as traumatic and questioning the lack of explanation.

The release, confirmed by SBS News on July 18, 2025, followed community advocacy, with a private Facebook post thanking Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke for his “efforts in achieving justice.” However, Burke declined to comment, stating, “Any information in the public domain is not necessarily consistent with our intelligence agencies.” Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson criticized the Labor government, saying, “Australians deserve answers” about how a deemed security risk was freed, per ABC News. The lack of clarity fuels distrust in the Albanese government’s immigration vetting, especially after Amnesty International’s August 2024 report accused Australia of rejecting over 7,000 Palestinian visa applications.

The case highlights broader issues with Labor’s immigration policies, which critics argue prioritize political optics over transparency. With no clear path for Palestinians fleeing conflict, and vague security assessments driving detentions, the government risks alienating communities while failing to address national security convincingly. Almassri’s release is a relief, but the episode underscores the need for robust, open processes to balance security and humanitarian obligations.