Waves of Refugees

Refugees attempting to cross the Caribbean to Florida this summer are getting widely different treatment: Virtually all Cubans are granted political asylum; most Haitians are sent home. Here is a look at the contrasting policies:

Cuban boat people: Cubans who enter the United States can apply for permanent resident status after one year, under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act. Even those declared deportable under U.S. law cannot be sent back because Cuban President Fidel Castro will not take them.

Haitian boat people: President Bush has ordered refugees returned without any asylum hearing. The action comes in answer to the huge increase of refugees seeking to enter the United States this year after a coup last Sept. 30 in Haiti. Returning the boat people to Haiti is covered under a 1981 agreement with the United States.

The fallout: Critics say the double standard is racist, with the United States raising artificial barriers against the influx of blacks. The United States contends that Cubans deserve a chance because they are fleeing a Communist country. Haitians, on the other hand, are designated as economic refugees.

The Rescues at Sea

The number of rescues recorded by the Coast Guard

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Cubans 59 391 467 2,203 944* Haitians 4,699 3,368 1,131 9,941 28,453*

* 1992 figures as of July 22

The Gulf Stream--named by statesman Benjamin Franklin--is a major ocean current that forms in the western Caribbean and flows around both coasts of Florida. Almost like a river within the ocean, it affects navigation and climate. Refugees on rafts and boats rely on the current to reach Florida.

CUBANS: Makeshift Rafts, Dangerous Currents

Cubans usually leave in groups of no more than half a dozen. Using everything from inner tubes to refrigerator packing as rafts, they rely on the Gulf Stream to carry them north.

THE DANGERS: Cuban border patrols try to stop the exodus, so refugees leave at night. Once they reach the Gulf Stream, the currents carry them northeast. Currents can be very swift--from 5 to 8 knots--and rafters can be carried north along the coast or even out into the Atlantic.

CROSSING TIME: From as little as 48 hours to up to six days, depending on the wind. Summertime usually means calmer seas, but the risk of hurricanes is greater.

HAITIANS: Rickety Sailboats, Tricky Routes

Haitians leave in grossly overcrowded sailboats measuring from 15 to 60 feet. With little or no currents to carry them, they rely on the wind to travel the 600 miles.

THE DANGERS: The sailboats are often old or poorly made. With little or no navigational equipment, the trip past scores of reefs and tiny islands can be tricky and dangerous. Supplies of food and water are extremely limited.

CROSSING TIME: Estimates range from at least a week to a month, depending on winds and sailing skills.

Gulf Stream: Friend and Foe

+ Common starting points

** Routes traveled by refugees

*** Gulf Stream direction

Sources: U.S. Coast Guard, Reuters, World Book