A society is judged by how they treat their most vulnerable members. For the last 20 years, Australia has stolen refugees and stateless people’s life based on hypothetical future events. According to international law, indefinite detention is arbitrary and unlawful. Detention should only be used where it is absolutely necessary in the individual case, and there is no reasonable alternative available. It must be for the shortest possible time and reviewable by a court. The Edmund Rice Centre along with many other groups have advocate for change to these and other harsh policies often targeted at some of the world’s most vulnerable people. 8th November 2023 the High Court overturned Australia’s longstanding practice of mandatory and indefinite detention. The detention may end but the wounds of detention are lifelong. The trauma and more importantly the years wasted in detention cannot be returned.