Carter promises open arms for refugees

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 8

Carter promises open arms for refugees

NZPA-Reuter- Key West President Carter has promised that his Administration will welcome refugees fleeing from Cuba “with an open heart and open arms.” He told members ot the League of Women Voters in Washington the refugees would receive the same treatment under immigration laws as Haitians and' others seeking entry. But, “those of us who have been here for a generation, or six or eight generations, ought to have just as open a heart to receive the "new- refugees as our ancestors were ’received in the past.” ■ . , . Refugees continued to pour into , southern yesterday at I 'a rate of 300 an hour and Customs ana immigration officials esti-

mated the . total number oft Cubans reaching Key West| since the exodus , began on I April 23 was 16,000. But they said their figures were well out of date and the total was probably nearer 20,0001 Officials estimated, about 1500 American registered boats were still waiting to bring refugees from the port of Mariel, near Havana, almost three.times as many as had made'the'l7okm trip so far. • Seven deaths have been directly connected with the boat lift. Six people have drowned at sea, while on Sunday, a 68-year-old Cuban widow collapsed and died of an apparent. heart attack less than 30 minutes after reaching Key West. In. Washington;the State Department said- ■ American land Cuban authorities were I trying to get safe passage

for about 380 Cubans at the United States interests section in the former United States embassy building in Havana. The Cubans’ took refuge there on Friday after clashing with supporters of the Cuban President (Dr Fidel Castro).. ’ From Key West the refugees go by bus to Miami or by ' chartered plane to a “tent city” set up by the Federal Government at Egiin Air Force base in north-west Florida. Other temporary holding centres include Miami’s Tamiami Park, its Orange Bowl Stadium and, for a special group of Cubans, a federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said 133 Cubans were in the prison after admitting , that they ■ committed serious offences /at 'home, including murder, 'rape and robbery.