a13: Haitians to return despite coup attempt (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

MIAMI, Dec 17 (UPI) -- As reports of more violence and unrest in Haiti
reached Miami Monday, the United States rushed to send more than 160
Haitians back to the nation they were so desperate to escape.
   The Haitians were among 187 Haitians intercepted at sea Dec. 3. Nicole
Kulich of the Immigration and Naturalization Service said two of them are
missing and presumed drowned, 20 swam ashore and 165 were rescued from
their dangerous, rickety boat by the U.S. Coast Guard.
   Despite Monday's unsuccessful coup attempt at the president's mansion in
Port au Prince, the INS said they are expediting deportation proceedings
for 167 of the Haitians. They were brought ashore for safety reasons and
detained in Miami's Krome Avenue Detention Center.
   The other 18 have been released because of the nation's wet-foot,
dry-foot policy of allowing immigrants from certain countries who make it
ashore to remain in the United States.
   "They will be processed through a provision of law called expedited
removal," said Dan Kane, another INS spokesman in Washington. "Interdiction
and repatriation of undocumented migrants at sea has been, and will
continue to be the policy of this government."
   Haitian activists said the unsuccessful coup in Haiti should reinforce
the contention that they are political refugees rather than economic
refugees, but the INS said it would go ahead with its removal plans.