Megyn Kelly shocked by a permanent part of Australian life: 'It doesn't really matter to them'

One of America's best-known television journalists has expressed her shock at what has become a regular part of Australian life.

Megyn Kelly, who has hosted shows on Fox News and NBC, has brought Sky News Australia host Paul Murray onto her SiriusXM show to explain Australia's handling of migrants trying to reach the country by boat.

America is in the midst of an immigration crisis, with 300,000 migrants – the equivalent of the population of Pittsburgh – illegally crossing the southern border in December.

Kelly seemed surprised at the comparison to US border problems when she said: “Australia doesn't mess around when it comes to illegal immigration.

“One of the things that got me interested in this was in 2022, when they kept out Novak Djokovic, who wasn't going to get the title. [Covid] vaccine.

“And then it just led to this in-depth look.” Australia in general is no stranger to saying, “No, stay out of it.” They don't really care.'

She asked Murray how Australia came to have such a strict and rigid immigration line.

“About 20 years ago there was a big difference between Australians believing, 'Oh, we should be compassionate and anyone who can kind of drift here should be able to become a citizen,'” he said.

“But the reality was that people died on that journey. Most likely the path would go from Indonesia. Hop on a boat, pay $10,000 to a human smuggler and then you'll eventually float towards Australia.

'You're getting close enough here [and it was]”Aha, thanks for the effort, you're in.”

The Sky News presenter said the deaths of 'thousands of people' were driving change, with the Australian government saying: “Yes, we are an island, but… you have to come through the front door.”

“So, simply put, if you came here illegally, our position was we would turn the boat around and send you back.”

Murray then explained the turn-back policy, under which boats can be escorted by the Australian Navy back to the port from which they left.

“If you happened to end up here, you went to an offshore processing center, and simply put, you stayed there until you… decided to go home.”

Kelly told Murray “The main goal of the tough policy was deterrence, and therein lies, I think, the most important lesson for America.”

“Because being perceived as inhumane is part of the point,” she said.

Murray agreed, telling her, “The whole idea is that there is a front door. And just like you don't cross the border when you go to Disney, you don't cross the border when it comes to immigration.”

He added that there are many legal ways to migrate to Australia: “If you fill out the paperwork, you're so great [you will] If you can become a citizen, it will happen.

“If you have something for our country, that's fantastic, but nothing else.”

He added: “The most important message I want to convey to Americans is that by having a border, you have to feel that you have a country worth protecting, and you have to draw a line saying it's a privilege to be here is not a right granted if you can find a way to get here.”

Kelly then read part of an article from Diplomat magazine, which said: “Australia is the only country to require immigration detention for all unlawful arrivals.”

“It's like if you come here illegally, you're subject to mandatory detention, including those seeking protection as refugees,” Kelly said.

“Australia has one of the most punitive forced migration policies in the world…Australia effectively punishes those who flee to the country for protection.

“This is someone who doesn't like the policy. But I'll tell you, most Americans would read this right now, Paul, and say, 'Good.'”

Murray said, “The people who show up [in Australia] They are not refugees, but people trying to shop for better access to social services.

'Because the reality… is that while a lot of people would like to think that Australia is some sort of big version of Texas, the reality is that we are Canada or the UK in terms of social security, but with a lot more desert. '

He also offered advice on what the US could learn from Australia's immigration policies.

'It's very simple. If you end up in Mexico and are trying to get somewhere further down the map, guess what: Mexico is the safe place to go…

“So America has every right to say, 'Well, just leave, you can go back to the nearest safe country.'

Murray said people trying to get to Australia by boat were deterred because they would be sent to Nauru, “which is an island country in the west – our government has given a lot of money to that country – or you move to a place where Papua -called New Guinea, which lies just to the north.'

“The whole point is you're never going to physically come here… It's the Australian Defense Force that's in charge of this and that's probably what I would recommend you need in the US,” Murray said.

Kelly put this into context for her followers by saying: 'It's actually not just that you're not coming to Australia, but we're also going to send you to another little island where we're paying a lot of money to process it. you people.

“And you really won't be able to enjoy the fruits of the Australian life while we decide what to do with you.”

Murray claimed that '80 percent' of Australians support the offshore processing system and then gave more advice to the US.

“If you have a better social security system for the people who arrived illegally than for the people who, for whatever reason, end up on the streets of San Francisco, you have a problem.

“Now you'd think that the social justice warriors would see this, but instead they have this kind of infantile idea that every person who crosses the border is on their knees and they're doing it so that they can have a better life for their children.” can build. family.

“But the reality is that there are a lot of people who know that there is a better life in the United States, with greater protections in the United States and even a minimum wage in the United States that is better than the life they have in the United States.” States have. other parts of Latin America, which means they are economic migrants.”

“They are not refugees, they are economic asylum seekers,” he said.