15740: (Hermantin)Sun Sentinel-Rally uplifts Haitian held at Krome (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Rally uplifts Haitian held at Krome

By Tanya Weinberg
and Jean-Paul Renaud Staff Writers
Posted May 31 2003

David Joseph fled Haiti for U.S. shores in October, never imagining he would
land at the center of an immigration maelstrom.

"They say Haitians are terrorists, but none of us would have any ideas like
that," said Joseph, 18, in an interview at the Krome detention center. "All
the Haitians have the same idea, to save their lives and live in a country
where there are laws to protect you. The Haitians all came here for
freedom."

Joseph was among 230 passengers, most of whom crammed onto a boat in Haiti
and sailed into Biscayne Bay on Oct. 29. Fifty-nine remain in detention,
despite applications for asylum or release on bond and protests from Haitian
immigration advocates.

Last month Joseph's case gained international attention when Attorney
General John Ashcroft issued a decision overruling the immigration courts
that determined Joseph should be freed on bond. Ashcroft cited national
security in his decision, saying Joseph's release "would stimulate further
surges of such illegal migration by sea and threaten important national
security interests." The attorney general said South Asian and Middle
Eastern terrorists could use Haiti as a staging ground for entry to the
United States, raising questions as to how strong the evidence is to back
Ashcroft's statement.

The ruling has spurred a renewed wave of protest as immigration advocates
had their first demonstration in six months Friday and plan to lobby in
Washington next week. Although some longtime activists doubt the
administration will change its policy, Joseph was optimistic Friday that his
supporters can win his fight for freedom.

Although Aschroft cited the specter of terrorism in his ruling, Joseph said
Haitians are the ones who are terrorized back home.

"The chimeras beat my father, they beat me, they took our land," he said,
referring to pro-government gangs. "It's a country where they can do what
they want. They can beat people. They can rape people."

Joseph shook his legs beneath the interview table as he talked Friday. He
explained how his head hurts and spins from his worries, how he wishes he
could keep walking into freedom. But this day he was energized.

"Yesterday I heard on the radio that they were fighting for us, and I heard
my name," Joseph said. "I know today they are having a demonstration for the
Haitian cause. It gives me strength."

By 6 p.m. more than 100 demonstrators lined the intersection of Biscayne
Boulevard and 79th Street in front of the Bureau of Citizenship and
Immigration Services in Miami.

"We're not terrorists," said Johnny Rivert, who arrived in the United States
from Haiti in 1991 and was among the protesters. "We just want justice from
everybody. This is the United States."

Next week a delegation including Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas and
other leaders will travel to Washington to lobby legislators on behalf of
Haitian refugees.

"It really boils down to the disparate treatment of Haitian migrants when
they enter the United States," Penelas said. "We can't forget that these
people have been in jail since late last year."

Tanya Weinberg can be reached at tweinberg@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5029.





Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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