Posted on 12/30/2005 3:19:11 PM PST by LouAvul
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Dozens of Cuban migrants, including at least nine children, came ashore Friday throughout Southern Florida and Dry Tortugas, officials said.
A total of 87 Cuban migrants reached Florida, said Steve McDonald, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol. Two groups totalling 37 people came ashore in Marathon, 28 came to Miami Beach, three reached Key Biscayne and 19 made it to the Dry Tortugas at the tip of the Florida Keys.
The group that came ashore in Miami Beach consisted of 12 men, seven women and nine children — the youngest 6 years old, said Arley Flaherty, a Miami Beach police spokeswoman.
"For the most part they looked fine, just a little dehydrated or cold," Flaherty said. "Nobody had identification with them. They had relatives' phone numbers with them, some were in shorts. The kids were in long shirts, shoes or sandals."
The migrants were taken to immigration offices, where their cases will be processed, Flaherty said.
The Miami Beach group said they left Cuba Wednesday night and that a good Samaritan picked them up at sea after their makeshift boat ran into trouble, Flaherty said.
Under the so-called wet-foot, dry-foot policy, Cubans who reach U.S. soil are usually allowed to stay, while most picked up at sea are sent home.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
pong
This just in.....
At least Cubans vote republican. I guess living under communism has that effect.
"huddled masses yearning to breathe free"
No problem. As Will Rogers once said, I never met a Cuban I didn't like (in America).
Huddled masses also yearning to kick Fidel's a##.
Welcome!
A good samaritan indeed.
I
Why are they fleeing? They have free health care in Cuba..
Ummm.....I'm not suffering in poverty, nor am I rich. GET A JOB, BOOBY!
Let's trade them for some of our anti-American lefties and send them to Cuber.
I wonder why Cuban refugees are called "migrants"?/sarcasm//
I am only opposed to the "wet foot" part of the law that sends Cuban refugees back to Cuba, if they fail to reach land.
Seems to me if they get rescued at sea under a USA flag bearing ship, that should also constitute as "dry foot" under law.
Just curious: On another thread, someone suggested placing land mines at the US-Mexican border to stop illegal immigrants. Here, you are saying welcome to illegal immigrants. I gather Cubans have a special exemption. Any other special groups on the list of illegal aliens who shouldn't have to hop-scotch around land mines?
Talk about a standing headline.
Is that so?!
I think that just might have been sarcasm, kids.
At least these "immigrants" value our country and our values and they are coming with their families to stay and start new lives as Americans.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.