The Australian Greens say Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been spooked into a redneck policy on Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers.
The government has suspended the processing of all new immigration claims from Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers for up to six months.
Green's Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the government's change of policy is a disregard of human rights.
She says today's announcement is all about politics and has accused Mr Rudd of being a coward by sinking to the level the opposition wanted him to.
Refugee advocates say the policy is likely to see people detained indefinitely for many years.
Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition says the politically-driven policy change will see legitimate asylum seekers sit in detention having committed no crime.