MORE than 200 ethnic Chinese boat people have lost their bid to be screened for refugee status and resettlement.
The migrants who came to hear the Court of Appeal's verdict were led away in handcuffs after two of the three judges rejected their bid.
Pam Baker of Refugee Concern said the asylum seekers would now consider taking their case to the Privy Council.
She said their chances were improved by the judges' failure to arrive at a unanimous verdict.
Mr Justice Bokhary held the dissenting vote.
He said that, although their chances of victory were slim, the ethnic Chinese migrants deserved a chance to make their case.
'Although I stop short of saying that they have no chance, I have warned them that their chances are slim.' But Mr Justice Mortimer and Mr Justice Mayo concluded the migrants had 'no chance at all' of winning refugee status.
