15429: (radtimes) Diplomats puzzled by claim migrants use Haiti to enter U.S. (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: radtimes <resist@best.com>

Diplomats puzzled by claim migrants use Haiti to enter U.S.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/5711187.htm

Posted on Fri, Apr. 25, 2003
BY JACQUELINE CHARLES
jcharles@herald.com

U.S. consular officials are ''scratching our heads'' over U.S. Attorney
General John Ashcroft's claim that Pakistanis, Palestinians and others are
using Haiti as a staging point for trying to get into the United States.

Ashcroft made the claim in a ruling Wednesday that Haitians need to be
detained while they seek asylum.

Among other reasons, Ashcroft cited national security concerns. A State
Department declaration, he said, 'asserts that it has `noticed an increase
in third country nations (Pakistanis, Palestinians, etc.) using Haiti as a
staging point for attempted migration to the United States. This increases
the national security interest in curing use of this migration route,' ''
he wrote.

A spokesman for the State Department's Consular Service said his agency is
puzzled by Ashcroft's comment.

''We all are scratching our heads,'' said spokesman Stuart Patt. 'We are
asking each other, `Where did they get that?' ''

Patt said he doesn't know the source of Ashcroft's information. He said the
agency has no published reports addressing that concern, though he did not
rule out any internal documents on the matter.

Petty Officer Anastasia Barnes, a Coast Guard spokeswoman, said none of the
migrants picked up in an Oct. 29 incident near the Rickenbacker Causeway --
or any other time by cutters stationed near Haiti -- fit the profile listed
by Ashcroft.

Jorge Martinez, a spokesman for Ashcroft's office, could not immediately
say where the attorney general got the information. He directed inquiries
to the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS spokeswoman redirected
questions to Martinez.

SPEAKING OUT

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, who is on the House Homeland Security
Committee, said he has not heard any evidence, testimony or briefing from
the CIA or FBI indicating Haiti harbors or promotes terrorist groups or
activities.

''This is outright discrimination and racism by this Bush administration.
There is justice in America for everybody but Haitians,'' Meek said.

``Someone needs to call the president and let him know we are at war
against the Taliban and al Qaeda, and not the Haitian people.''

Miami Immigration attorney Ira Kurzban, who represents the Haitian
government in the United States, said the ruling ``is part of a concerted
plan involving the destruction of the Haitian people by creating the
chaotic economic conditions in Haiti while forcing people to go back there.''

`A FALSE CLAIM'

As a result of Haiti's ongoing political turmoil, the United States has cut
off aid to the Haitian government. It does, however, support health and
other projects by funding private groups.

''There is no basis of fact for the attorney general's claims. No
information of this nature has been presented to the Haitian government,''
Kurzban said. ``It's a false claim. It's used to perpetuate a
discriminatory policy against Haitians.''

Kurzban said that unlike Cuba, Haiti is not on the United States' terrorist
watch list.

''The attorney general has no problem in allowing Cubans in,'' he said.
``Yet Haitians are looked at as a national security threat, not
withstanding our relations with Haiti and Haiti has never been designated
as a terrorist state.''

Current U.S. policy calls for the detention of any foreign national --
except Cubans -- who arrive by sea without proper documents. Cubans are an
exception because of the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows Cubans who
reach the United States to apply for residency one year and a day after
their arrival.

SOME INQUIRIES

A source close to the Haitian government, dismissing Ashcroft's claims,
noted there is a long-standing Lebanese community in Haiti. The source did
say, however, that Haitian government officials have received inquiries
from Pakistanis asking how they can get visas to come to Haiti.

Some may want to go on to the United States, but they aren't terrorists,
the source said.

``They are just people like the Haitians, looking for increased economic
opportunity and to improve their lifestyle. Why would a terrorist want to
go through Haiti when chances are great they've got relatives in Dearborn,
Mich., home to one of the largest Arab communities outside the Middle East?''