Word: asylums
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Much of the confusion can be traced to the Cuban Premier, who has regularly changed the rules and played to his own interests throughout the world's latest refugee flight. When nearly 11,000 Cubans crammed into the Peruvian embassy compound in Havana last month seeking political asylum, Castro promised salidas (exit visas) to all those who could gain permission from other countries to emigrate there. But after an airlift organized by Costa Rica had evacuated 678 of the 6,250 would-be exiles accepted by eight nations, including the U.S., Castro suddenly canceled the flights. Havana instead proclaimed...
...boat-owners not to head for Mariel. When that failed to deter the flotilla, the Government hinted it might accept only the first 3,500, whether embassy refugees or not, and deport the rest. The threat was correctly seen as an empty one since the U.S. has routinely granted asylum to Cuban refugees since Castro came to power...
Washington next decided to admit the refugees "conditionally" for 60 days, after which the INS would decide on a case-by-case basis whether or not to grant political asylum; except for those definitely proved to be dangerous criminals, all will almost certainly be permitted to stay. The State Department also announced that owners of the refugee boats could be liable for a $1,000 fine for each refugee ferried. In addition, it warned, their craft could be seized and held until the penalties were paid. But even this policy was enforced unevenly: though written notices representing millions in fines...
...refugees were admitted "conditionally" for 60 days, thus allowing them time to file for political asylum; at the end of that period, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was to decide whether or not to grant it. Though there seemed little doubt last week that the Cuban boat people would eventually be granted permanent residence, Washington was clearly unhappy with their method of arrival. "What you have here is not a rational process," said State Department Spokesman Thomas Reston of the sealift. "What you have is Castro's solution to the problem...
...world's latest refugee saga began three weeks ago, when an estimated 10,800 Cubans jammed into the Peruvian embassy compound in Havana seeking political asylum after guards were temporarily removed from the embassy's gates. The sight of these would-be exiles, demanding to leave Fidel Castro's so-called paradise, was deeply embarrassing to the Cuban President. With the world watching, he had no choice but to grant them exit visas. Eight nations eventually agreed to admit 6,250 of the exiles; the U.S. said that it would take 3,500, the largest single group...