MIAMI, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Immigration officials continued process more than 200 Haitians who were smuggled into Miami aboard a coastal freighter this week while outside the fences of the Krome Avenue Processing Center where most of them are being detained, an angry debate raged over what to do with them.
"This is obviously a developing situation that remains fluid as we process individuals," said Barbara Gonzalez, spokeswoman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. "Things could change on short notice because of decisions made on higher levels."
Haitian advocates in Miami would like them all to be released immediately, which is what usually happens with Cuban refugees under the decades-old Cuban Adjustment Act.
Gov. Jeb Bush warned of the consequences of a massive migration to U.S. shores from the Caribbean.
"We need to make sure we don't have a mass migration coming into south Florida," Bush said.
But the governor, who is running for re-election Tuesday, said during a Miami campaign stop he favors releasing Haitian refugees once they establish they have a legitimate fear of persecution if they return to Haiti.
"My position is as stated. If people have a well-founded fear of persecution, they should be allowed into the community -- out of Krome -- and they should be able to pursue those remedies through administrative court," he said.
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside INS offices in Miami for the third straight day Thursday seeking exactly that. Haitian leaders called for a general strike on election day Tuesday, telling supporters to vote and take the rest of the day off.
Three attorneys from the Haitian community, two state legislators and three members of the Miami Community Relations Board have visited the Haitians at the processing center and none lodged any formal complaints.
Six Haitian men were charged in the case Wednesday with smuggling the aliens into the country.
The Haitians arrived in Miami Tuesday after a four-day voyage from Haiti aboard a 50 wooden coastal freighter. As the vessel approached shore in Biscayne Bay, the refugees jumped into the water and swam or waded ashore, resulting in riveting nationwide television coverage of their desperation.
Twenty-six of the refugees were children, some as young as 3 years old.
