By Tamara Lytle
Washington Bureau
Posted February 1 2007
WASHINGTON · The U.S. government is ready to stop a mass migration of
Cubans when Fidel Castro dies, two Florida lawmakers said Wednesday
after meeting with military and Homeland Security officials.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, the top Republican on the House Transportation
Committee, organized the closed-door meeting to find out if the Coast
Guard and other Homeland Security agencies are prepared to protect
Florida, where many refugees likely would migrate.
Mica, of Winter Park, said he was satisfied with what he heard. U.S.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, agreed. The United States will not lose
control of its borders, Diaz-Balart said. "That's just not an option."
But Andy Gomez, assistant provost of the University of Miami and a
scholar on Cuban issues who has met with federal officials about their
plan, said they may be underestimating the fallout from Castro's death.
Gomez said as many as 500,000 Cubans could end up fleeing if social and
political unrest breaks out on the island just 90 miles from Florida.
Even an influx of 50,000 would be too much for South Florida, which
could see the bulk of the refugees, he said, straining schools, jobs,
housing, social services and other resources.
An ailing Castro handed over power to his brother, Raul, six months ago.
Since then, his health has been the subject of much speculation, with
some news reports suggesting he's near death. This week, he was
photographed in a meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Upon Castro's death, his brother likely would have about six months to
try to improve Cuban lives before people begin to flee en masse, Gomez said.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Chris O'Neil said the government is ready for a
mass migration from the Caribbean. The Homeland Security Task Force
Southeast held exercises in November and December that involved
military, state, federal and local officials. A full-scale exercise,
with role-playing of migrants landing in the United States and being
interdicted at sea will be performed March 7-8.
O'Neil said the government has learned from the 1980 Mariel boatlift, in
which Castro allowed more than 100,000 to come to Florida, as well as
smaller influxes of Cubans in 1994 and 2004.
Tamara Lytle can be reached at tlytle@tribune.com or 202-824-8255.
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