Australia uses foreign (offshore) detention centres to prevent boat people and illegals getting in without correct 'processing'. It's not exactly anything to be proud of either. They don't call it illegal for nothing though and we don't have nearly the numbers the US has in its country (which is not imaginary). Some of these refugees are so miserable living in the detention centres they try to kill themselves. I think it's a mess. For genuine refugees they flee from horrors only to end up being housed with others who might be queue jumping. However it IS a political hot potato.