9852: Search for missing Haitians ends (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Search for missing Haitians ends
By Jody A. Benjamin
Staff Writer

December 5, 2001

The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search Tuesday for two Haitian men 
thought to be among a group of 185 Haitians whose rickety sailboat ran 
aground a day earlier in Biscayne National Park.

But the fate of the survivors in federal custody remained unclear. Coast 
Guard officials brought them ashore citing safety concerns.

Some could face immediate deportation because they have a criminal 
background, pose a threat to the community or have a communicable disease. 
Others will be allowed to ask an immigration judge for the right to stay 
permanently.

"Nothing will be decided collectively,'' said Patricia Mancha of the U.S. 
Immigration and Naturalization Service. "Everything will be decided on an 
individual basis."

Meanwhile, federal authorities questioned survivors throughout the day about 
whether the 10-day trip was the work of smugglers. No one from the trip will 
be released until law enforcement officials have come to a conclusion, 
possibly several days away, officials said.

"With the number of people we have to talk to, it could take a while,'' said 
Joe Mellia, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol, the agency leading the 
investigation. On Tuesday there were 140 adult males being held at the Krome 
detention center, 22 women at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center 
near Miami Airport and 11 boys at the Boystown facility for unaccompanied 
minors. The remaining survivors were families held by INS at a local motel.

Some of these families could be released within 48 hours, according to 
Haitian-American activist Jean Robert Lafortune, who said he spoke with INS 
officials Tuesday. INS officials would not confirm that.

Lafortune said he was generally pleased with INS handling of the incident.

"In the past, we have been worried about the way INS treated minor 
children,'' said Lafortune. "In this case, INS has shown some sensitivity. I 
applaud that."

Jody A. Benjamin can be reached at jbenjamin@sun-sentinel.com or 
954-356-4530.


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