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COPYRIGHT 2004 South Florida Sun-Sentinal
Byline: Ruth Morris
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Human rights groups on Wednesday joined prominent Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat in calling for an investigation into the death of her 81-year-old uncle, a pastor who died in federal custody after applying for political asylum, even though he was carrying a valid U.S. visa.
Family members said Joseph Dantica arrived at Miami International Airport on Oct. 29 and requested "temporary asylum" to escape thugs who ransacked his church and demanded he pay for the funerals of slain comrades. An immigration officer detained Dantica as part of the asylum-seeking process, the family said, despite his age and fragile health, and despite the fact that he was traveling on a multiple-entry visa.
The case prompted accusations that Dantica had fallen victim to an insensitive immigration system that failed at many turns to right itself. Dantica's son, Maxo, who traveled with him, said immigration authorities took the elderly man's medicine...
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