Governor, President May Disagree Over Haiti Policy

Governor Might Favor Granting Refugees Temporary Status

POSTED: 4:06 pm EDT June 18, 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush may be at odds with his brother, President George W. Bush, about allowing Haitians to stay in the United States until the conditions in their country improve.

The day after returning from Haiti, the governor said he might be in favor of granting temporary protected status to Haitian refugees who face deportation. The governor also said he may call the president this weekend to discuss his findings.


Haitian refugee status is a controversial issue because the refugees are most often sent back while Cubans who set foot on dry U.S. land are allowed to stay.

President Bush has opposed granting temporary protected status against the wishes of Haitian advocates. The status would apply to Haitian nationals already in the United States and in danger of being sent home.


Jeb Bush visited Haiti on Wednesday. The next day he told reporters at the Capitol that he will announce proposals within the next 10 days to help the country, which has struggled in poverty for years and this year has seen its government overthrown and floods that have left 3,200 either dead or missing.

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