Refugees

The Coast Guard intercepted more than 18,000 Haitians in the wake of the April 1992 military coup. Although more than 10,000 Haitians were returned to Port au Prince, GAO estimates that about 2,500 arrived at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to await transport to the United States. The Guantanamo Bay facility--a collection of tents erected on an old aircraft runway--is subject to extreme heat during the summer, and at times the water being piped in is virtually undrinkable. It is doubtful whether these temporary facilities could withstand the hurricanes that sometimes hit Cuba. While the Immigation and Naturalization Service's (INS) interviewing and screening procedures at Guantanamo Bay appear to be sound, GAO discovered weaknesses in the administrative procedures that follow the interviews, including many errors in the INS database used to process individuals for return to Haiti or on to the United States. Due to these weaknesses, at least 54 Haitians were mistakenly repatriated and at least seven others returned voluntarily, never knowing that their claims had been deemed credible and they were free to travel to the United States to have their cases heard. GAO also found that at least 50 Haitians lacking credible claims were mistakenly sent to the United States. Despite the involvement of several federal agencies at Guantanamo Bay, no designated lead agency ever assumed responsibility for facility operations. Since March 1992, interdicted Haitians have been screened aboard Coast Guard cutters, a practice that may prove inadequate should another massive influx take place. Given problems in living conditions and shipboard screening procedures, GAO testified that contingency planning by U.S. agencies is urgently needed to handle a possible resurgence of Haitian refugees.