Federal Police have been given special authority to use force when a boatload of asylum seekers arrives on Christmas Island today.

54 asylum seekers are being transferred to the island after being intercepted in Australian waters on the weekend.

It's the first boat to arrive since the signing of the transfer deal with Malaysia.

Channel 7 reporter Geoff Parry  is on Christmas Island and says officers are prepared for trouble
 

"Some of these people when they arrive they may be very disappointed and possibly angry that they've paid all this money and they've spent all this time investing in trying to get to Australia and once they get here on this boat, probably around Thursday, to be told no you're not staying you're going back to Malaysia they might get a bit disturbed and angry about that."

Photo:Getty/Getty Images News/John Moore/Staff