    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [December 23, 1997]
    [Page 1823]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Deferred Enforced Departure for Haitians
    December 23, 1997

    Memorandum for the Attorney General

    Subject: Measures Regarding Certain Haitians in the United States

        Over the past several decades, many Haitians have been forced to
    flee their country because of human rights abuses and civil strife and
    have sought the protection of the United States. A significant number of
    these Haitians were brought into the United States from Guantanamo Bay
    Naval Base by President Bush following the overthrow of President
    Aristide in 1991. Other Haitians arrived here through other means and
    were paroled or applied for asylum. Many of these Haitians continue to
    be without legal status in the United States.
        Pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct the foreign
    relations of the United States, I have determined that it is in the
    foreign policy interest of the United States to defer for 1 year the
    deportation of any Haitian national who was paroled into the United
    States before December 31, 1995, or who filed for asylum before December
    31, 1995, and who has been continuously present in the United States
    since that date.
        Accordingly, I now direct you to take the necessary steps to
    implement for these Haitians:
            1.  deferral of enforced departure from the United States for 1
                year from the date of this memorandum; and
            2.  authorization for employment for 1 year from the date of
                this memorandum.
        This directive shall not apply to any Haitian national: (1) who has
    been convicted of an aggravated felony; (2) who is found to be a
    persecutor of others within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42); (3)
    whose removal you determine is in the interest of the United States; (4)
    whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State
    has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse
    foreign policy consequences for the United States; (5) who voluntarily
    returned or returns to Haiti or his or her country of last habitual
    residence outside the United States; (6) who was deported, excluded, or
    removed prior to the date of this memorandum; or (7) who is subject to
    extradition.
        These measures shall be taken as of the date of this memorandum.

                                                          William J. Clinton