The opposition leader on Wednesday made the captain's call, which is understood to have surprised his colleagues.
"My job is to protect all Australians and it's exactly what I'm doing," he told Channel Nine on Thursday.
"I'm not discriminating on any basis. Happy to see people brought in from the Middle East, if they've been properly checked."
Muslim and Palestinian advocacy groups have labelled Mr Dutton's comments racist and another attempt to stir up fear and hatred.
Mr Dutton rejected that he had heightened tensions in the community just days after ASIO director-general Mike Burgess called for public figures to be mindful of their rhetoric.
Peter Dutton has no issue with arrivals from the Middle East so long as they've been checked. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
When asked if he had discussed the position with his colleagues beforehand, Mr Dutton said "it's not an issue that goes to shadow cabinet".
"I'm not talking about internal discussions," he said.
"It's a discussion with the national security team and I've done that."
Education Minister Jason Clare criticised the opposition leader's decision to make the comments at a ceremony welcoming home returning Olympians.
"That shows you something about what lies in the heart of Peter Dutton," he told reporters in Canberra.
"Every instinct in this bloke's body, every calculation is about how he can divide the country.
"It shows this bloke's not fit to run a bar, let alone Australia."
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