INS Decision Will Release 1,149 Cubans

The Immigration and Naturalization Service said today it has approved the release of 1,149 Cubans from federal prisons and that a dozen who had been in lockups torn by riots were among 100 already set free.

“We expect to release more to close relatives or to halfway houses as space becomes available,” said INS spokesman Vern Jervis.

At the same time, the Justice Department is ready with three panels to review cases of Cuban detainees who have been turned down for release by INS.

“INS has been conducting its reviews, but hasn’t referred cases to the Department of Justice yet,” said Joe Krovisky, a Justice spokesman. “It’s possible some of the cases will come over later this week.”

After rioting by Cuban inmates in the federal prisons in Atlanta and Oakdale, La., in late November and early December, the Reagan Administration created special appeals panels to give each of about 7,600 imprisoned Cubans a forum of last resort to wage a fight against continued detention and possible deportation.

All Convicted of Crimes

Among Cubans scheduled for deportation are 2,545 who were to have been returned home when Cuba suspended a 1984 agreement. All were convicted of crimes in this country.

“These people, before being sent back to Cuba, will have a further review by the panels at Justice,” said Jervis. “We will start cases over to them very soon, within the next couple of weeks or so, possibly sooner.”

A separate procedure involving the Cubans is a release plan in place since June, and Jervis said “as of 10 days ago, we had approved 1,149 people for release.” More than 100 have been freed under that procedure, including the dozen who were in the two prisons during the riots.

The federal government has 3,752 Cubans in custody and 3,830 are in state and local prisons.