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RETURN OF UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS TO HAITI
Oct. 18, 1978, midnight
1. EMBASSY MOINTORING HAS BEEN CONFINED TO (A) HAITIANS BEING RETURNED FROM GUANTANAMO, AND (B) HAITIANS WHO HAVE SOUGHT, AND BEEN DENIED, POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE U.S. IN BOTH CASES, EMBASSY REQUIRES ADVANCE NOTIFICATION IN ORDER TO GREET RETURNEES AT AIRPORT. EMBASSY HAS RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN CATEGORY (B) FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS. 2. IT HAS BEEN EMBASSY PRACTICE TO MEET REPATRIATED ASYLUMSEEKERS AT THE PORT AU PRINCE AIRPORT, OBTAIN FROM THEM A LOCAL ADDRESS, AND ADVISE THEM TO CONTACT THE EMBASSY IF THEY ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES AS A RESULT OF THEIR ILLEGAL DEPARTURE FROM HAITI. WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS (SEE BELOW), THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP. 3. EMBASSY'S MOST THOROUGH RECENT MONITORING EFFORT FOCUSED ON A GROUP OF 97 HAITIANS RETURNED FROM GUANTANAMO IN SEPTEMBER 1977. FORTY-SEVEN OF THESE WERE CONTACTED BY EMBASSY FOLLOWING THEIR LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 PORT A 04305 181857Z RETURN. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP WHICH TOOK THEM TO GUANTANAMO, NONE HAD BEEN ARRESTED OR EXPERIENCED ANY HARASSMENT. THE CAPTAIN WAS ARRESTED ON WHAT AMOUNTED TO BREACH OF CONTRACT CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST HIM BY THOSE WHO HAD FINANCED THE TRIP. AFTER PAYING A FINE OF $40 HE WAS RELEASED. SUBSEQUENTLY HE SUCCEEDED IN ILLEGALLY ENTERING THE U.S. Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 4. EMBASSY RESOURCES THAT CAN BE DEVOTED TO MONITORING OF RETURNEES ARE LIMITED. MOST RETURNEES GO BACK TO HOMES IN THE PROVINCES REMOTE FROM PORT AU PRINCE WHERE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE RUDIMENTARY AND WHERE ONLY CREOLE IS SPOKEN. VISITS TO THESE AREAS ARE EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING AND EXCEED EMBASSY'S STAFFING, LANGUAGE (CREOLE) AND LOGISTICS (TRANSPORTATION) CAPABILITIES. IF DEPARTMENT BELIEVES MORE INTENSIVE MONITORING SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN AS NUMBER OF POLITICAL RETURNEES INCREASES, EMBASSY RESOURCES WILL HAVE TO BE AUGMENTED. THIS WILL ALSO BE TRUE IF DEPARTMENT OR INS INTEND TO REFER AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ASYLUM REQUESTS TO EMBASSY FOR FIELD INVESTIGATION AND COMMENT. EMBASSY SUGGESTS FOLLOWING PERSONNEL ALTERNATIVES, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR LOGISTICS: A) PERIODIC SPOT CHECKS OF REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE GROUPS OF RETURNEES BY CREOLE-SPEAKING STATE OR INS OFFICER (PERHAPS FROM MIAMI); B) TDY ASSIGNMENT OF CREOLE-SPEAKING STATE OR INS OFFICER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, ONCE EXPECTED INFLUX BEGINS; C) CREATION OF ADDITIONAL EMBASSY POSITION FOR THIS PURPOSE, TO BE FILLED BY CREOLE-SPEAKING TDY OFFICER UNTIL FULLTIME STATE OFFICER CAN ACQUIRE CREOLE LANGUAGE AT FSI. 5. EMBASSY CONTINUES TO BELIEVE THAT MONITORING OF HAITIAN RETURNEES WHO DID NOT REQUEST POLITICAL ASYLUM IN U.S. WOULD NOT BE PRODUCTIVE, SINCE WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 PORT A 04305 181857Z GROUP IS LIKELY TO SUFFER REPRISALS. IF MONITORING OF THIS GROUP IS REQUESTED BY DEPARTMENT, EMBASSY STAFFING WOULD NEED TO BE SUITABLY AUGMENTED. JONES LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNN Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014