U.S. starts 'extreme vetting' at Australia's offshore detention centres

An undated handout image from Amnesty International claiming to show the view of the family living quarters at the country's Australian-run detention centre on the Pacific island nation of Nauru. Amnesty International/Handout via REUTERS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security officials have begun "extreme vetting" interviews at Australia's offshore detention centres, two sources at the camps told Reuters on Tuesday, as Washington honours a refugee swap that U.S. President Donald Trump had called "a dumb deal".

The Trump administration said last month the agreement to offer refuge to up to 1,250 asylum seekers in the centres would progress on condition that refugees satisfied strict checks.