HAITIAN REFUGEES

WHEREAS, the AFT has traditionally registered its concern for actual or potential violations of human rights, wherever such violations may occur; and

WHEREAS, the AFT believes that domestic circumstances in Haiti have forced countless refugees to flee that nation and to seek asylum in the United States, and that this constitutes a human rights issue; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. government has not been able to demonstrate a clear and consistent policy for the equitable and speedy resolution of the Haitian refugee problem; and

WHEREAS, the AFL-CIO has joined the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees along with other groups fighting for civil, labor or religious and human rights and liberties and supports the positions and recommendations of the conference:

RESOLVED, that the AFT urge the adoption of the following policies and recommendations by the U.S. government in dealing with the Haitian refugee problem:

• that the U.S. government halt its policy of interdicting refugees on the high seas;

• that, to clarify and reform the current, often confounding, legal process which determines political asylum status, an independent immigration judiciary be established a) to facilitate the determination of political asylum status, b) to assure the applicant's legal rights during this process and c) to form consistent criteria for assigning a person political asylum;

• that there be created a fully funded and staffed Office of Assistant Secretary of State for Caribbean Affairs;

• that minors now in detention in refugee camps be released to their families or to other families willing to receive them;

• that all Haitians presently in detention be paroled until the process of status clarification is completed and that if specific reasons unrelated to status clarification require detention, such persons be detained in a climate comparable to the Caribbean;

• that Haitian refugees under detention be permitted to select their own legal representation; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT calls for the formation of a citizens oversight committee consisting of those groups with major concerns about Haitian refugees and their resettlement to educate the public about the situation and to propose a fair and humane policy toward Haitian refugees and to assure that such a policy is implemented; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT supports the work of the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees for a just and efficient solution to this problem.