Four Australian women, known as the ISIS Brides, returned home from Syria in May this year. Two were charged with crimes against humanity and slavery offences allegedly committed overseas. A third faced terrorism-related charges. And yet another 20 or more remain stranded in Syrian refugee camps, unable to get home.

The question isn't whether we like them. The question is whether the law applies equally to everyone.

Adam Shand is joined by Brisbane-based immigration lawyer Tanguy Mwilambwe of Sambi Legal to unpack the legal reality behind the headlines. Why can't the government simply keep these women out? What's the difference between joining ISIS and fighting with the IDF? And what does it mean for all of us when politics starts overriding the rule of law?

From temporary exclusion orders to mandatory visa cancellations, child brides to slavery charges, this is a story about what Australian citizenship actually means — and what we lose when we decide some citizens don't deserve its protections.