Supreme Court OKs Continued Return of Haitians Halted at Sea // Justices Block Ruling That Voided Bush Order

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court permitted the Bush administrationSaturday to continue intercepting Haitians at sea and forciblyreturning them to their homeland without determining whether they arepolitical refugees.

The action, sought by the Justice Department, temporarily blocksa federal appeals court ruling Wednesday that voided President Bush'stwo-month-old executive order that Haitians fleeing by boat beescorted back to Haiti.

In a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court gave the government until Aug.24 to ask the high court to consider the merits of the case.

Justices Harry Blackmun and John Paul Stevens dissented, sayingthat the fleeing Haitians face "the real and immediate prospect ofpersecution, terror and possibly even death at the hands of those towhom they are being forcibly returned."

Lawyers for the Haitians say they are entitled to immigrationhearings to determine whether they should be classified as refugeeseligible to come to this country.

The Bush administration has said concern for the safety of theHaitians was a major consideration for its actions. Deputy presssecretary Judy Smith said the White House was pleased that the stay"will continue to discourage Haitians from taking unseaworthy vesselsto the United States."

Lucas Guttentag, attorney for the Haitians, said he is confidentthat when the case is heard, "the court will find that thepresident's order violates the most fundamental principles of U.S andinternational obligations."

The lawyers representing the Haitians will ask the courttomorrow to hear the case on an accelerated basis, Guttentag said.

"My only hope is that either Congress does something orelections sweep out President Bush," said another lawyer for theHaitians, Michael Ratner.

Thousands of Haitians have been intercepted at sea and returnedto their country since the president's order of last spring, Ratnersaid.

And thousands of Haitians have sought asylum at the U.S. Embassyin Port-au-Prince in the last few months.

A Justice Department statement issued a few days ago encouragedthe asylum requests. To date, less than 100 have been grantedadmission to the United States.

About 30,000 Haitians fled their country after a military coupdeposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide last fall.

Bush signed his executive order in May, permitting the return ofthe refugees.

The boat traffic declined immediately after the United Statesdecided to return those picked up at sea directly to Haiti.

The Bush administration says most of those fleeing Haiti areseeking a better economic life and do not qualify for politicalasylum.

In the dissent, Blackmun said the government has offered only "avague invocation of harm to foreign policy, immigration policy andthe federal treasury."