Weekly media wrap - 26 January 2019

A male detainee at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, believed to be in his thirties and from Sierra Leone, died on Friday evening. Police said initial investigations suggest the death is not suspicious. The death allegedly triggered chaos in the centre.

Thailand's ambassador to Australia asked for patience in the case of detained refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi and stressed the independence of Thailand's judiciary. Meanwhile, a number of  Australian sportspeople signed an open letter to the Prime Minister, asking him to directly engage with Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha regarding al-Araibi's case.

One hundred and seventeen people drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean last weekend and nearly 400 rescued migrants were returned to Libya. Two hundred people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year.

The Trump administration's ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy, which returns asylum seekers to Mexico to wait while their cases progress through US courts, took effect on Friday. Meanwhile, Mexico has struggled to process an influx of Central Americans applying for its new humanitarian visa.