Canberra (Somalia Today) – A leaked proposal to ban visa applicants from conflict zones in Somalia and Gaza has split Australia’s conservative opposition, as its new leader vows to “shut the door” on migrants who reject national values while distancing himself from the proposed “terror zone” list.
The confidential draft, called “Operation Gatekeeper,” describes a strict policy. It would automatically refuse visas to people from 37 “declared terrorist areas” in 13 nations.
Somalia is a primary focus of the plan, with the draft calling Al-Shabaab “resilient and adaptable” and a direct threat to Australia.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, who took the helm of the Liberal Party last week following a leadership spill, called the specific document “invalid” but embraced its ideological core.
“We will not apologise for prioritising the safety of Australians,” Taylor told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“If someone does not subscribe to our core beliefs, the door must be shut.”
Somalia targeted
The leaked files, drafted under former leader Sussan Ley, propose amending the Migration Act to strip applicants from high-risk Somali regions of “merits review” rights.
This would remove their ability to appeal visa rejections to independent tribunals, making it harder for affected individuals to challenge decisions and potentially increasing the risk of wrongful denials or a lack of due process.
The document identifies broad swathes of rural south-central Somalia—where Al-Shabaab militants maintain territorial control and influence—as “no-go” zones for visa processing.
In turn, it argues that the “blurring of lines” between civilians and combatants in these areas makes standard security vetting impossible.
The proposal has sparked alarm among Australia’s Somali community, which numbers more than 18,000 people. Community leaders say the “guilty by location” logic would punish families fleeing the very terror groups Australia opposes.
“To label entire regions as ‘terrorist areas’ is to condemn the innocent civilians fleeing those very terrorists,” a spokesperson for the Somali Australian Council said.
‘Trumpian’ overtones
Meanwhile, the leak has prompted comparisons with the United States, where Donald Trump and his allies have pushed sweeping immigration restrictions and tougher vetting regimes.
One academic quoted in Australian media described the draft as “Trumpian,” saying it echoed the “America First” agenda associated with US Republican politics.
The “Operation Gatekeeper” strategy also calls for establishing a specialist task force with powers similar to those of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The plan recommends a mandatory “digital audit” for applicants from high-risk nations, requiring officials to scrutinise social media histories for anti-Western sentiment—a move critics say mirrors extreme vetting measures championed by Trump hardliners.
At the same time, while shelving the specific “terror zone” map, Taylor signalled a pivot toward making Australia’s “values statement” an enforcement tool.
Currently, as a non-binding pledge signed by visa applicants, the statement covers principles such as the rule of law, freedom of religion, and gender equality.
However, under the opposition’s mooted changes, the pledge would become a strictly enforceable visa condition.
Breaches—whether through criminal acts or conduct deemed contrary to “mutual respect”—could trigger automatic visa cancellation and deportation. This would give authorities broader power to penalise and remove migrants based on the interpretation of values-related conduct.
The opposition is also reportedly examining fast-track removal channels for large cohorts of rejected asylum seekers, bypassing the often lengthy legal appeals process.
Internal revolt
However, the revelation of the “Gatekeeper” files has complicated Taylor’s first week as leader, forcing senior moderates to publicly disown the plan.
Senator Paul Scarr, the shadow immigration minister under Ley, said he had not authored the “terror-declared areas” component.
“I never agreed to any such policy,” Scarr said, adding he had “serious concerns” about the legal and humanitarian implications of blanket regional bans.
Legal experts have warned that the term “terror-declared area” has no basis in current Australian migration law.
Even so, while the criminal code allows the government to list “declared areas” to stop Australians from travelling to foreign conflict zones, using similar designations to block incoming refugees would test the limits of Australia’s international non-refoulement obligations.
The controversy comes as migration is shaping up as a central battleground in the next federal election.
The opposition is targeting a cut in net overseas migration to 170,000 annually, down from a post-pandemic peak of 528,000, as the nation grapples with a housing affordability crisis.
