27 linear feet, 7 linear inches, 63 containers

The material in this collection consists of correspondence, memos, briefing books, press clippings, reports, telephone logs, and report summaries. The material relates to the Task Force that was created to manage and coordinate the processing and resettlement of Cuban-Haitians entrants in the United States. Topics covered in this collection include immigration and refugees.

Department of Health and Human Services. Cuban-Haitian Task Force. The Cuban-Haitian Task Force was formally established on July 15, 1980, at the direction of the White House and disbanded on June 1, 1981. On April 20, 1980, Fidel Castro suddenly announced that the port of Mariel, Cuba would be open for all Cubans wishing to leave the country. This came after one month of orderly emigrations from Cuba to Costa Rica. The opening of Mariel shortly resulted in a full-fledged boatlift by Cuban-Americans bringing individuals and groups of immigrants to the Florida. By May 4th, more than 1,000 boats had undertaken the voyage and some 13,000 Cuban immigrants were already in the U.S. Thousands of Cubans continued to arrive each day, placing a major burden on Florida and other states and on the Federal agencies involved in the processing, care and resettlement of the new arrivals. Coupled with the influx of Cubans, several thousand Haitians also arrived in the U.S. during that time.

This burden caused the Administration to declare the situation an emergency on May 6, 1980, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began to coordinate the federal effort to respond to the crisis. By July, more than 120,000 Cubans and Haitians had arrived in the U.S. and it was apparent that a comprehensive assistance program was needed to meet their immediate and long-term needs. On July 15, 1980, the Administration established the Cuban-Haitian Task Force to manage the processing and resettlement of Cuban and Haitian arrivals. The Director of the Task Force reported directly to the U.S. Coordinator for Refugee Affairs (Ambassador Victor H. Palmieri) and the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs (Eugene Eidenberg). The Task Force was transferred to the Office of the Under Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources on November 15, 1980.

The Task Force provided overall policy management direction to the effort to receive, process, and resettle entrants. It worked closely with Federal agencies to coordinate federal activities related to serving the entrants. The general management structure of the Task Force delegated many day-to-day operational responsibilities to its field operation centers. Oversight by headquarters assured consistency of policy and overall supervision. The Washington office was staffed to provide quick reaction teams to any camp in case of emergencies. There was also a major regional office in Miami, as well four resettlement centers and other processing and holding centers in southern Florida. The Task Force also devoted substantial financial and personnel resources to working with the national volunteer agencies to effect rapid resettlement of the entrants throughout the U.S. and working with organizations to minimize the negative impact of the CubanHaitian boatlift.

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The records of the Department of Health and Human Services - Cuban-Haitian Task Force are divided into eight series:

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Subject Files

Scope and Content: Containers 1-10. This series was opened on April 13, 1987. This series consists of memoranda, correspondence, reports, phone logs, executive summaries and transcripts of Congressional hearings. The series includes material on the Fort Chaffee refugee program and the Miami operations. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Director's Files

Scope and Content: Containers 10-19. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of memoranda, correspondence, minutes of task force meetings, briefing books, informational materials, and executive summaries. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Public Affairs Files

Scope and Content: Containers 19-28. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of memoranda, reports, press releases, newspaper clippings, staff profiles, executive summaries, and correspondence. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Data Summaries Files

Scope and Content: Containers 29-30. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of memoranda, reports, and executive summaries. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Fort Indiantown Gap Camp Files

Scope and Content: Containers 31-41. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of memoranda, reports, correspondence, wire copies, news clippings, and photographs. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Clippings Files

Scope and Content: Containers 42-45. This series was opened in on March 3, 1998. This series consists of related press clippings from various newspapers. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Correspondence Files

Scope and Content: Containers 46-60. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of external and internal chronological letters, cleared letters, Congressional mail in name order, copies of outgoing mail, public inquiries, sponsorship information, and State Department correspondence. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 

Cuban-Haitian Task Force Administrative Files

Scope and Content: Containers 60-63. This series was opened on March 3, 1998. This series consists of reports for and about the Cuban-Haitian Task Force, various instructions for administrative purposes, and weekly activity reports of voluntary agencies. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

These papers contain documents restricted in accordance with applicable executive order(s), which governs National Security policies, applicable statutes/agency restrictions, and material which has been closed in accordance with the donor’s deed of gift.

Copyright interest in these papers has been donated to the United States Government. Some of the records may be subject to copyright restrictions (i.e. newspapers, publications, etc.). Researchers should contact the publisher for further information.

The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

441 Freedom Parkway NE Atlanta, GA 30307

Immigration

Refugees

Ambassador Victor H. Palmieri

Eugene Eidenberg

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Cuba

Haiti

Miami

Florida

Fort Indian Town Gap

Pennsylvania

Fort McCoy

Wisconsin

Camp Santiago

Puerto Rico

Fort Chaffee

Arkansas

The first series of the collection was opened in 1987. Subsequent series in the collection were opened on March 3, 1998. The open dates are indicated in the series descriptions

7/15/80-6/1/81

Related materials in this repository: Domestic Policy Staff; Records of the Office of the Assistant to the President for Hispanic Affairs

Cuban -Haitian Task Force Subject Files

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Cuban -Haitian Task Force Director's Files

 

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Cuban -Haitian Task Force Public Affairs Files

 

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Cuban-Haitian Task Force Data Summaries Files

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Cuban-Haitian Task Force Fort Indiantown Gap Camp Files

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Cuban -Haitian Task Force Clippings Files

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Cuban -Haitian Task Force Correspondence Files

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Cuban-Haitian Task Force Administrative Files

 

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