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American Morning
Another Cuban Boy Rescued Aboard Boat
Aired November 27, 2002 - 08:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To Florida, a fascinating story here. Three years to the day, after Elian Gonzalez was discovered off a Florida coast, another Cuban boy has been rescued on board a boat; 14 years old, among six Cubans found Monday near Key West. He was the only Cuban who did not make it on shore, raising the legal question about whether or not he will be allowed to stay legally in the U.S.
Mark Potter is tracking the story and joins us this morning live in Miami.
Mark, good morning to you.
MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
It seems pretty clear that the 14-year-old boy will, indeed, be staying in the United States with his father. He is being held this morning by federal officials as a material witness against two other men accused of smuggling.
Now this case began unfolding Monday afternoon after the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call involving a 21-foot boat in rough seas about 25 miles from the Key West. The Coast Guard found the boat and discovered what it believed at the time were just two men aboard. The Coast Guard said the seas were too rough to board the boat at the time, so they brought it back to the Key West dock. There, they discovered six Cubans inside the boat. Five of the Cubans ran ashore and made it on to the dock leaving, behind one other person, and that person was the 13-year-old boy. His father was among the five who made it onto the dock. The boy was detained. He was held on a Coast Guard cutter, and the question began -- became what to do with him.
Technically, under the called "wet foot/dry foot" policy, involving Cuban immigrants, he should have been sent back to Cuba because he did not make it to the U.S. soil. There were humanitarian concerns, given his age and the fact the father was here, and so yesterday afternoon, U.S. officials came up with a decision to bring the boy into the United States as a material witness against the two men originally found to be operating the boat. They have been arrested, charged with smuggling and they will have a federal court hearing. Their first appearance is later today here in Miami.
Now, the five other passengers are expected to be released into the community. Now that's unlike what happens to Haitian immigrants and others who arrive by boat. They are kept in detention for their entire asylum process. Cubans, however, are quickly released, and that's because of the special legislation that protects Cuban immigrants. And a final irony related to Elian Gonzalez, Bill, it is of note that this boy was discovered on November 25th of this year. That is exactly three years to the day when 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez was found on an inner tube outside of Miami. His mother perished at sea, and that's about where the similarities to the Elian Gonzalez case end, but it was ironic, and that caught our attention when we learned about it yesterday.
HEMMER: Amazing, but the fine distinction here is that Elian's mother never made it, but this boy's father did, which may allow him ultimately to stay here.
Mark, thanks. Mark Potter in Miami.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 27, 2002 - 08:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: To Florida, a fascinating story here. Three years to the day, after Elian Gonzalez was discovered off a Florida coast, another Cuban boy has been rescued on board a boat; 14 years old, among six Cubans found Monday near Key West. He was the only Cuban who did not make it on shore, raising the legal question about whether or not he will be allowed to stay legally in the U.S.
Mark Potter is tracking the story and joins us this morning live in Miami.
Mark, good morning to you.
MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
It seems pretty clear that the 14-year-old boy will, indeed, be staying in the United States with his father. He is being held this morning by federal officials as a material witness against two other men accused of smuggling.
Now this case began unfolding Monday afternoon after the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call involving a 21-foot boat in rough seas about 25 miles from the Key West. The Coast Guard found the boat and discovered what it believed at the time were just two men aboard. The Coast Guard said the seas were too rough to board the boat at the time, so they brought it back to the Key West dock. There, they discovered six Cubans inside the boat. Five of the Cubans ran ashore and made it on to the dock leaving, behind one other person, and that person was the 13-year-old boy. His father was among the five who made it onto the dock. The boy was detained. He was held on a Coast Guard cutter, and the question began -- became what to do with him.
Technically, under the called "wet foot/dry foot" policy, involving Cuban immigrants, he should have been sent back to Cuba because he did not make it to the U.S. soil. There were humanitarian concerns, given his age and the fact the father was here, and so yesterday afternoon, U.S. officials came up with a decision to bring the boy into the United States as a material witness against the two men originally found to be operating the boat. They have been arrested, charged with smuggling and they will have a federal court hearing. Their first appearance is later today here in Miami.
Now, the five other passengers are expected to be released into the community. Now that's unlike what happens to Haitian immigrants and others who arrive by boat. They are kept in detention for their entire asylum process. Cubans, however, are quickly released, and that's because of the special legislation that protects Cuban immigrants. And a final irony related to Elian Gonzalez, Bill, it is of note that this boy was discovered on November 25th of this year. That is exactly three years to the day when 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez was found on an inner tube outside of Miami. His mother perished at sea, and that's about where the similarities to the Elian Gonzalez case end, but it was ironic, and that caught our attention when we learned about it yesterday.
HEMMER: Amazing, but the fine distinction here is that Elian's mother never made it, but this boy's father did, which may allow him ultimately to stay here.
Mark, thanks. Mark Potter in Miami.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
