The Nation : Haitians Stream to U.S.

More Haitians than ever are crowding into battered sailboats and attempting to enter the United States illegally, authorities said. Since the overthrow of President Jean-Claude Duvalier last February, Coast Guard cutters have stopped 3,011 Haitians from reaching U.S. soil, almost double the number interdicted during the first six months of last year. The continued migration supports the contention that most of the Haitians are economic--not political--refugees, authorities said. The transitional government that succeeded Duvalier has been criticized as being ineffective in boosting the economy and providing jobs.