PHILIPSBURG--The ten Cuban migrants who were intercepted by the St. Maarten Coast Guard last week Tuesday, July 17, while on their way to St. Thomas were released from police custody Thursday night, July 26.
On detention, the Cuban migrants requested asylum. They have been in police custody until now. Their attorney, Remco Stomp, appealed their detention and Minister of Justice Roland Duncan's calls for deportation on the grounds that the holding cells in Philipsburg police station are "not meant for non-criminal suspects."
"These are shipwrecked Cubans coming from Antigua on their way to St. Thomas," Stomp said. "They were not on their way to St. Maarten."
The processing of their application for asylum now begins and in the meantime, Stomp explained, it is likely that they will be given "temporary residency while applications are being processed."
New Testament Baptist Church made arrangements for the Cuban migrants to stay in Sea Breeze Hotel in Cay Hill. In the company of their attorney, the six Cuban men and four women sat in front of the Philipsburg police station with backpacks filled with their personal belongings awaiting their transportation by bus to the hotel.
Before leaving, some of the migrants expressed worry about the cost of staying in the hotel. Stomp assured them that everything had been done to get them this far and encouraged them to remain calm in this situation.
When asked what the Cuban migrants would be doing during this "waiting period," Stomp speculated that they probably would be doing personal business like getting in touch with their families and other loved ones.
The captain of the vessel on which these migrants were found and a Dominicano migrant also found on the boat remain in police custody.
Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/30086-10-detained-cuban-migrants-released-.html
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