Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000
As if Elian Weren't Enough...
Thomas M. Miovas, Jr.
>From Paul Blair:
> American policy, which is commonly referred to as
>the "wet foot, dry foot" distinction, returns Cuban
>refugees like Mr. Morales if they are intercepted at
>sea and cannot demonstrate a fear of persecution.
> If they can demonstrate such a fear, the United States
>will seek haven for them in a third country. But Cuban
>refugees who reach American soil become eligible for
>permanent residency in a year.
I hate to tell you this, but a friend of mine estimates that
several thousand Cuban refugees a year are returned to Cuba --
especially the ones caught at sea. As a matter of fact, a few
weeks ago on the Rush Limbaugh Show, it was mentioned that a
grandfather in the States and his grandsons in Cuba had worked
out a plan whereby the grandsons would escape to an island near
the Bahamas where the grandfather would meet them and bring them
to the States. The plan worked well, except they were caught by
the US Coast Guard. The grandsons were returned to Cuba while
the grandfather is current serving a two year sentence in the
States for smuggling Cubans.
This sort of thing has been going on for quite some time, though
it varies from administration to administration.
In a post Harry rejected about a month ago, I predicted a "Miami
Berlin Wall" would be erected *by the United States*. At the
time, I had no idea this was already in effect (I guess Harry
didn't know it either, which I assume is one reason the post was
rejected).
The only reason everyone is worked up over Elian is the courage
and dedication of Lazaro and Marisleysis Gonzalez, who brought
it to nationwide news coverage. Otherwise, most of us wouldn't
know about this tragedy at all -- which is one reason I consider
them to be heroes, regardless of what happens to Elian.
Incidentally, it was Bill Clinton who added the rider to the
Cuban Adjustment Act, the "wet foot / dry foot" provision
(though I don't know when).
