INS Commissioner To Visit Detention Facilities But Haitian Coalition Still Calls for Reversal of Policy 

NEW YORK, JULY 12, 2002 -- Eight months after his agency changed its policy and began detaining hundreds of Haitian asylum seekers in Miami and in response to repeated requests from the National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR), several lawmakers and other advocates to address the issue, INS Commissioner James Ziglar is visiting the South Florida detention facilities. On Monday, July 15th, the Commissioner will accompany Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, Rep. Carrie Meek, representatives from Sen. Bob Graham and Rep. Alcee Hastings’ offices, as well as local business and community leaders, in touring the Turner-Guilford-Knight (TGK) detention facilities where the women detainees are held.

“We are pleased that the Bush administration has taken this step to addressing the plight of these detainees”, said Dina Paul Parks, NCHR’s Executive Director. “But it is only a step. We are still calling on the President and Justice Department to reverse this blatantly discriminatory, Haitian-only detention policy.” 

In December 2001, the INS abruptly reversed its policy of releasing all asylums seekers into the community after they had established a “credible fear of persecution” and began jailing Haitian asylum seekers. The Administration claims that it is trying to deter a mass exodus on the high seas, but Coast Guard figures reveal that the numbers of Haitians intercepted at sea are on par with those of other nationalities. Now, while all other asylum seekers from any every other nation in the world who have met the “credible fear” standard continue to be released within days in Miami, virtually all asylum seekers arriving from Haiti are jailed. 

“It is not just a matter of the degrading condition of these unfair detentions, “ added Ms. Paul Parks. “With little access to their attorneys, those who are lucky enough to have them, and no time to prepare their claims, since their cases are ultra fast-tracked, it is impossible for these detainees to have a a fair day in court and real chance at due process. It is no coincidence that over 90% of their asylum cases have been denied thus far.” 

Over the past few months, NCHR has been working with a number of advocates from around the country, including the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, Refugee Council USA, and Lawyers Committee for Human Rights to name a few, to bring collective pressure to bear on the Bush Administration regarding this policy. These efforts include: stories generated in the national press (Wall Street Journal and New York Times) and local papers in South Florida; Congressional press conferences in Miami and DC; a hearing of the US Commission on Civil Rights in Miami last month; meetings with the representatives of the State and Justice Departments; as well as a number of Miami rallies. 

NCHR believes that these efforts are beginning to pay off, as evidenced by the Commissioner’s visit. “Clearly, they are hearing the criticism and trying to figure out how to respond,” stated Paul Parks. “With this visit, we are hopeful that the Commissioner will see for himself the high human cost of this mean-spirited, unjust and unnecessary policy and feel compelled to report those findings directly to the White House. All of us will continue this campaign to make sure, however.”