Immigration Minister Andrew Giles clings onto his job as he admits bombshell claim he made about freed detainees ISN’T true

Embattled Immigration Secretary Andrew Giles has changed claims that drones were used to monitor detainees released from detention following a High Court ruling.

After saying in a media interview that drones were being used to monitor released prisoners, Mr Giles admitted the technology had not been used for this purpose.

“I relied on the information provided by my department at the time and which has since been clarified,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Embattled Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has changed claims that drones were used to monitor detainees released from detention following a Supreme Court ruling

‘As part of the work monitoring and supporting community safety, Operation AEGIS uses information from a range of sources using a variety of technologies, including open-source aerial photographs and other imagery, through their work with state and territory law enforcement agencies .’

More than 150 immigration detainees were released following a Supreme Court ruling in November that found indefinite detention was unlawful.

Those released from detention were subject to electronic monitoring and strict curfews.

Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan said the minister did not provide any information following the drone’s unveiling.

“I don’t think Andrew Giles is fully ahead of the curve and answering the questions he needs to answer,” he told ABC TV on Monday.

“We need to know that because… he told the Australian people last weekend that what he had said (about the use of drones) was true, that it was accurate.”

The revelation comes as the under-pressure minister said a revised ministerial directive on a controversial directive allowing foreigners convicted of serious crimes to keep their visas would come into force within days.

An update to the controversial Directive 99 will be implemented by the end of the week, following protests over the appeals tribunal using it to reinstate visas for foreigners found guilty of serious crimes.

The directive, which prioritized a person’s ties to Australia, was introduced following concerns from New Zealand that people were being deported across the Tasman with no ties to the country.

Mr Giles said the new direction would place a greater emphasis on community safety.

“It is clear that the Administrative Appeals Tribunal’s decision to reinstate these visas did not meet community expectations, and Ministerial Directive 99 has not worked as the government intended,” he said.

“The government is on track to review this regime and move in a new direction before the end of the week.”

The minister said that 30 visas for foreigners with serious criminal records have been revoked in the past week due to the national interest.

“Community safety is our number one priority and we will always act in the best interests of Australians,” Mr Giles said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament the government would continue to prioritize security.

‘We continue to refuse and revoke visas on character grounds. “We continue to deport people who have no right to be here,” he said.