U.S. Plea on Deportation of Cubans Denied
A federal judge Monday refused to lift a court order effectively blocking the deportation of 1,500 Cubans being held at the Atlanta federal penitentiary.
U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob rejected a request from Justice Department lawyers, who had asked him to lift the order on grounds that it could cripple a Dec. 14 agreement between the United States and Cuba calling for the return of 2,746 Cuban refugees considered dangerous by the United States.
The 1,500 refugees detained in Atlanta are believed to be among those affected by the agreement.
In the Oct. 15 ruling, Shoob ordered the Immigration and Naturalization Service to hold new hearings on the detainees’ contention that they should be granted asylum in this country because they would face persecution if returned to their native country.
The United States already has asked the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn that order.
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