Expand All Collapse All Extent 283 folders, approximately 9,919 pages Summary This collection consists of records related to Operation Sea Signal, Operation Safe Passage, Operation Safe Haven, and Joint Task Force 160. The records in this collection date from approximately January 1993 to August 1996. The records include a large number of daily situation reports from Guantanamo Bay, letters to and from non-governmental agencies and other civilian organizations relating to Haitian and Cuban migrants, papers discussing migrant policy and operation of the various military, Department of Justice, and Department of State operations related to migrant programs. The collection contains all the Clinton Presidential Records of retired Lieutenant Colonels Mike Longoria and Jonathan Noetzel. Scope and Content Note The materials in FOIA 2011-1046-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. FOIA collections 2011-1044-F and 2011-1045-F are closely related. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. This collection dates approximately January 1993 to August 1996. Included are records related to Operation Sea Signal, Operation Safe Passage, Operation Safe Haven, and Joint Task Force 160. It includes a large number of daily situation reports from Guantanamo Bay. The collection includes letters to and from non-governmental agencies and other civilian organizations relating to Haitian and Cuban migrants. Much of this communication is related to those seeking parole in the United States but it also includes requests and plans for visits to Guantanamo Bay. As such this collection includes many records which contained personal information and there are a large number of closures related to personal privacy. Government records include papers discussing migrant policy and operation of the various military, Department of Justice, and Department of State operations related to migrant programs. This collection includes all the papers of Lieutenant Colonel Mike Longoria and Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Noetzel both retired. Longoria joined the Democracy, Human Rights & Humanitarian Affairs directorate of the National Security Council in August 1994. His role was as liaison to the military and Joint Chiefs of Staff and to deal strictly with migrant and refugee issues. Noetzel joined as an aid to Longria and then remained as military assistant after Longoria’s departure in June 1995. This collection represents the entire subseries of textual records of Mike Longoria and Jonathan Noetzel. Following the September 1991 coup d’ètat in Haiti a large number of refugees and, to a lesser number asylum seekers, began taking to rafts, inner tubes and barely sea worthy craft. The economic and political conditions were more than people could tolerate and the appeal of better living conditions elsewhere made a dangerous trip across the open ocean seem preferable to staying in Haiti. Through 1992 and 1993, Haitian migrants continued to leave Haiti in significant numbers. The United States held to a policy that returned any migrants found at sea to Haiti. As President Clinton said in April of 1994, “The whole purpose of the return policy was primarily to deter people from risking their lives.” However, as the President further noted, “Hundreds of people have already drowned trying to come here.” (754). Growing concern for the treatment and living conditions of refugees when they were returned to Haiti as well as the general deterioration of Haitians human rights under military rule led the United States to reconsider its policy. On May 8, 1994, President Clinton announced a change in policy. Haitian refugees would still be interdicted at sea, however they would not be returned to Haiti for refugee processing. This caused an even greater flow of refugees out of Haiti; by June as many as 2,000 Haitian refugees were being interdicted daily. Processing centers and leased refugee processing and housing ships were quickly filled beyond capacity. Immigration and Naturalization Service and U.S. Coast Guard operations were unable to adequately address the volume of refugees and began taking Haitian refugees to the United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba—more commonly called Guantanamo Bay or Gitmo. Likewise many Cubans felt that braving the short distance of open water between the United States and Cuba was preferable to their current suffering. Yet, Cuban government policies kept many from attempting the migration. However in August 1994, Fidel Castro changed Cuban policy; no longer would the military or the police attempt to stop departing migrants. The effect was immediate and dramatic. U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy patrols began intercepting 3,000 Cuban migrants a day. By late summer 1994, Guantanamo facilities at Camp McCalla and Radio Range already housed more than 14,000 Haitian refugees. As one author relates, “Gitmo was ill-prepared to provide for the security, health, and welfare of an additional 34,000 Cubans” (Pitts, 115). Operation Sea Signal began in May 1994 on short notice in response to the increased number of Haitian refugees. Joint Task Force 160—also seen in these records as JTF-160, CJTF-160, TF-160, and Joint Task Force One Six Zero—was started in May 1994 to assist the members of Operation Sea Signal in addressing the safety, security, health, and processing of the refugee and migrant populations at Guantanamo Bay. By September 1994 the population of the camps at Guantanamo had grown to approximately 45,000. Before the operation was over the number of those in the camps would grow to between fifty and sixty thousand. Both Naval Station Guantanamo Bay—Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay—and Joint Task Group Bulkeley were assigned to JTF-160. JTF-160 included units of the United States Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force, and Army. The Immigration and Naturalization Service—now United States Citizenship and Immigration Service—and the Community Relations Service (CRS) of the U.S. Department of Justice as well as the Department of State all worked closely with Joint Task Force 160 in providing services such as logistics, mail, medical supplies, personal articles of clothing toiletries and etc. The CRS also worked with non-governmental organizations to provide schooling and other humanitarian needs. Operation Safe Haven began as a response to overcrowding and inadequate facilities at Guantanamo Bay. Under Safe Haven—a Joint Task Force 160 operation—four camps were constructed at Empire Range, Panama and Cuban migrants were taken by the U.S. Navy to these camps. The operation began in September 1994 and ended in March 1995. At the peak there were approximately 8,600 Cubans in Panama. Operation Safe Passage was the Joint Task Force 160 operation to return Cubans to Guantanamo Bay from Panama. Operation Clean Sweep was a limited engagement activity held in September 1994 to control rioting and disorder in the Cuban camps at Guantanamo. There are very few records in this collection related to that September 1994 operation. On November 1, 1995 the last of the Haitian refugees returned to Haiti and on January 1, 1996 the last of the Cuban migrants returned to Panama. A ceremony marking the end of Joint Task Force 160 was held at Guantanamo Bay in early February 1996. Record Type Textual System of Arrangement Records that were responsive to this request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files, Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System. Access Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions. Copyright Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (17 U.S.C. Chapter 1) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Provenance Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). Processed by Staff Archivist, 2014. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released. Last Modified Date 2016-07-07 Container List The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to 2011-1046-F: Box 1 Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files National Security Council Democracy, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Affairs Noetzel, Jonathan Camp Demographics / Data [1] [OA/ID 457] Camp Demographics / Data [2] [OA/ID 457] Caribbean Security Symposium, 1995 [OA/ID 458] Civilianization [1] [OA/ID 457] Civilianization [2] [OA/ID 457] Congressional Inquiries [OA/ID 457] “Cuba’s Raft Exodus of 1994” by Carmelo Mesa-Lago (Draft) [OA/ID 457] Cuba – Returnee Monitoring [OA/ID 457] Daily Summaries and Updates, September-October 1994 [1] [OA/ID 458] Daily Summaries and Updates, September-October 1994 [2] [OA/ID 458] Daily Summaries and Updates, September-October 1994 [3] [OA/ID 458] Daily Summaries and Updates, September-October 1994 [4] [OA/ID 458] Early Guantanamo Funding [1] [OA/ID 457] Early Guantanamo Funding [2] [OA/ID 457] Flotilla, July 13, 1995 [OA/ID 457] GAO Review of 1994 Cuban Migrant Crisis (Draft) [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Drawdown [1] [OA/ID 457] Box 2 Guantanamo (GTMO) Drawdown [2] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Drawdown [3] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) and Florida Funding Issues, Community Impact [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Interagency Working Group – Subgroup Actions [1] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Interagency Working Group – Subgroup Actions [1] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Lottery [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [1] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [2] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [3] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [4] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [5] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Policy [6] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Psychiatric Cases [1] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Psychiatric Cases [2] [OA/ID 457] Box 3 Guantanamo (GTMO) Quality of Life Issues [1] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Quality of Life Issues [2] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Quality of Life Issues [3] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Resident Letters to the President [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Resident Letters to the President: Letters from Children of Camp Tango [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Transition to Civilian Management, January 1995 [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, August 21, 1995 [1] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, August 21, 1995 [2] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, November 10, 1994 [1] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, November 10, 1994 [2] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, September 1994 [1] [OA/ID 457] Guantanamo (GTMO) Trip, September 1994 [2] [OA/ID 457] Box 4 Guantanamo (GTMO) Visits [1] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Visits [2] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Visits [3] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Updates [1] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Updates [2] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Updates [3] [OA/ID 458] Guantanamo (GTMO) Updates [4] [OA/ID 458] Haiti Issues [OA/ID 458] [Hogar de Tránsito] [OA/ID 457] Individual Cuban Migrant Cases [1] [OA/ID 458] Individual Cuban Migrant Cases [2] [OA/ID 458] Individual Migrant Cases [1] [OA/ID 457] Individual Migrant Cases [2] [OA/ID 457] Box 5 Interagency Task Force on Cuba; July 29, 1995 Nuccio GTMO Trip; DOS Selected Migrant Case Disposition [OA/ID 458] Interagency GTMO Working Trip, May 9, 1995 [1] [OA/ID 457] Interagency GTMO Working Trip, May 9, 1995 [2] [OA/ID 457] Litigation [OA/ID 458] May 2 Policy Reaction [1] [OA/ID 457] May 2 Policy Reaction [2] [OA/ID 457] May 2 Policy Reaction [3] [OA/ID 457] Miami Operations [1] [OA/ID 458] Miami Operations [2] [OA/ID 458] Miami Transition [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest Sept. 23, 1994-Oct. 10, 1994 [1] [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest Sept. 23, 1994-Oct. 10, 1994 [2] [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest Sept. 23, 1994-Oct. 10, 1994 [3] [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest Sept. 23, 1994-Oct. 10, 1994 [4] [OA/ID 458] Box 6 Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest Sept. 23, 1994-Oct. 10, 1994 [5] [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest October 1994 [1] [OA/ID 458] Migrant Operations and Issues, Daily Digest October 1994 [2] [OA/ID 458] Miscellaneous Actions, October 11-30, 1994 [1] [OA/ID 458] Miscellaneous Actions, October 11-30, 1994 [2] [OA/ID 458] Miscellaneous Actions, October 11-30, 1994 [3] [OA/ID 458] Miscellaneous Actions, October 11-30, 1994 [4] [OA/ID 458] Northeast Gate Policy [OA/ID 458] Operation Safe Passage Briefs January 1995 [1] [OA/ID 457] Operation Safe Passage Briefs January 1995 [2] [OA/ID 457] Operation Sea Signal, Termination Issues, Thank You Letters [1] [OA/ID 457] Operation Sea Signal, Termination Issues, Thank You Letters [2] [OA/ID 457] Panama Issues [OA/ID 458] Parole Flight Data / Initial Parole Termination [1] [OA/ID 457] Parole Flight Data / Initial Parole Termination [2] [OA/ID 457] Box 7 Parole Flight Data / Initial Parole Termination [3] [OA/ID 457] Parole Flight Data / Initial Parole Termination [4] [OA/ID 457] POTUS – Cuban Policy Speech at Freedom House, October 6, 1995 [OA/ID 457] Project Guantanamo, Inc. [OA/ID 458] Questionnaire Project [OA/ID 458] Safehaven Family Visitation Office of Miami [1] [OA/ID 458] Safehaven Family Visitation Office of Miami [2] [OA/ID 458] Safehaven Family Visitation Office of Miami [3] [OA/ID 458] Saint Thomas University, Human Rights Institution Allegations [OA/ID 457] Significant Email, Chronological [OA/ID 457] Spanish TV “30 Minutes” Project [OA/ID 457] Symposia Events in Miami, USACOM April 17-19, 1995; USSOUTHCOM April 25-26, 1995 [OA/ID 458] Transportation [OA/ID 458] Transportation Issues [OA/ID 458] United Way, Dade County & CRS-MIA, ESOL Training at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) [1] [OA/ID 457] United Way, Dade County & CRS-MIA, ESOL Training at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) [2] [OA/ID 457] Box 8 National Security Council Democracy, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Affairs Noetzel, Jonathan United Way of Dade County G.R.A.S.P. and Project GTMO [OA/ID 457] USACOM Friendship Village Brief Fall 1994 [OA/ID 458] U.S. Army South Tour Book [OA/ID 458] U.S. Coast Guard Situation Reports re: Cuban Migrants Dec. 1995-Jan. 31, 1996 [OA/ID 457] USIA Daily Digest, September 23-October 17, 1994 [1] [OA/ID 458] USIA Daily Digest, September 23-October 17, 1994 [2] [OA/ID 458] USIA Daily Digest, September 23-October 17, 1994 [3] [OA/ID 458] World Relief Corporation – Miami Reception, January 13, 1996 [OA/ID 457] World Relief Corporation Weekly GTMO Updates [1] [OA/ID 457] World Relief Corporation Weekly GTMO Updates [1] [OA/ID 457] Legal Advisor Baker, James Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [1] [OA/ID 2372] Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [2] [OA/ID 2372] Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [3] [OA/ID 2372] Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [4] [OA/ID 2372] Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [5] [OA/ID 2372] Cuba Immigration & Guantanamo (Gitmo) [6] [OA/ID 2372] Box 9 Multilateral and Humanitarian Affairs Schwartz, Eric Caribbean Migration (no date) [OA/ID 3137] Cuba, 1994 or 1995 [OA/ID 3137] Cuba – Migrants, 1994 [OA/ID 3421] Cuba – Refugees, 1994 [OA/ID 3421] Guantanamo (GTMO) 1995 [OA/ID 3137] Haiti 1995 (Safehavens / Volunteer Returns) [OA/ID 3137] Haiti 1995 (Translation of Letter from Samuel Jean) [OA/ID 3137] Haiti – Interdiction [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994 [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994-1996 [1] [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994-1996 [2] [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994-1996 [3] [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994-1996 [4] [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Migrant, 1994-1996 [5] [OA/ID 3416] Haiti – Press Guidance 1994 [OA/ID 3416] Haiti, Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs) 1995 [OA/ID 3137] Migration, 1995 (Cuban Migrants at Ragged Island, Bahamas) [OA/ID 3137] Public Liaison Cuban Affairs Nuccio, Richard Coast Guard [OA/ID CF 827] Graham Trip – July 29, 1995 [OA/ID CF 829] Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) [1] [OA/ID CF 829] Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) [2] [OA/ID CF 829] Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) Conditions [OA/ID CF 829] Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) Training [OA/ID CF 829] Trip to Guantanamo – 12/15/1995 [OA/ID CF 829] Trip to Guantanamo – 1/18/1996 [OA/ID CF 829] Box 10 Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System NSC Cables Jan 1993-Dec 1994 [OA/ID 505000] [CJTF Panama] [08/23/1994-10/16/1994] [CJTF One Six Zero] [05/19/1994-01/01/1994] [07/01/1994-07/08/1994] [07/10/1994-07/15/1994] [07/15/1994-07/27/1994] [07/29/1994-08/24/1994] [08/24/1994-09/12/1994] [09/13/1994-09/18/1994] [09/21/1994-10/05/1994] [10/07/1994-11/02/1994] [11/03/1994-12/30/1994] [Operation Clean Sweep] [09/13/1994] [Sea Signal] [01/16/1993-05/22/1994] [05/25/1994-08/27/1994] [09/30/1994-11/11/1994] Box 11 Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System (continued) NSC Cables Jan 1993-Dec 1994 [OA/ID 505000] [Sea Signal] [11/11/1994-11/21/1994] [11/22/1994-12/03/1994] [12/05/1994-12/23/1994] [12/24/1994-12/31/1994] NSC Cables Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [OA/ID 510000] [CJTF One Six Zero] [01/04/1995-03/13/1995] [03/13/1995-05/17/1995] [05/23/1995-07/12/1995] [07/12/1995-09/01/1995] [09/01/1995-11/22/1995] [11/24/1995-07/08/1996] [Operation Safe Passage] [01/17/1995-05/26/1995] [Sea Signal] [01/01/1995-01/23/1995] [01/23/1995-02/04/1995] [02/05/1995-02/11/1995] [02/11/1995-03/07/1995] Box 12 [03/07/1995-03/16/1995] [03/16/1995-03/31/1995] [04/01/1995-04/16/1995] [04/16/1995-05/31/1995] [06/01/1995-07/10/1995] [07/11/1995-08/31/1995] [09/05/1995-12/06/1995] NSC Email A1-Record (Jan 93-Sept 94) [OA/ID 570000] [Joint Task Force 160] [09/15/1994] MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [OA/ID 590000] [Joint Task Force 160] [02/01/1995-06/26/1996] [Operation Sea Signal] [12/04/1995-01/30/1996] MSMail-Non-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [OA/ID 605000] [Joint Task Force 160] [09/30/1994] [Operation Safe Passage] [02/06/1995] [Operation Sea Signal] [01/18/1996] NSC Records Management System [Cuba] 9405324 [OA/ID 2292] 9407115 [OA/ID 212] 9407124 [OA/ID 212] 9407564 [OA/ID 480] 9409773 [OA/ID 225] NSC Records Management System [Cuba] 9409853 [OA/ID 225] 9410079 [OA/ID 484] 9410095 [OA/ID 226] 9421013 [OA/ID 3918] 9421116 [OA/ID 3918] 9421329 [OA/ID 3919] 9500552 [OA/ID 561] Box 13 [Cuba Migration] 9420980 [OA/ID 2167] 9421315 [OA/ID 3919] 9501381 [OA/ID 567] 9501407 [OA/ID 567] 9501559 [OA/ID 568] 9502785 [OA/ID 576] 9502833 [OA/ID 576] 9502963 [OA/ID 577] 9503408 [OA/ID 580] 9503500 [OA/ID 581] 9503721 [OA/ID 582] 9503758 [OA/ID 582] 9503759 [OA/ID 582] 9503779 [OA/ID 582] 9503911 [OA/ID 583] 9503929 [OA/ID 583] 9504596 [OA/ID 588] 9505609 [OA/ID 596] 9520365 [OA/ID 3919] 9602807 [OA/ID 1098] [Guantanamo] 9405540 [OA/ID 204] 9407330 [OA/ID 213] 9407571 [OA/ID 480] 9407996 [OA/ID 216] 9408217 [OA/ID 217] 9408849 [OA/ID 220] 9408939 [OA/ID 220] 9409147 [OA/ID 221] 9409302 [OA/ID 483] 9409485 [OA/ID 223] 9409614 [OA/ID 224] 9409852 [OA/ID 225] 9409865 [OA/ID 225] 9410003 [OA/ID 484] 9410091 [OA/ID 226] 9420199 [OA/ID 3914] 9421065 [OA/ID 2168] 9421070 [OA/ID 2168] 9500051 [OA/ID 558] 9500052 [OA/ID 558] 9500111 [OA/ID 558] 9500251 [OA/ID 559] Box 14 9500902 [OA/ID 564] 9501239 [OA/ID 566] 9501496 [OA/ID 576] 9501694 [OA/ID 3571] 9501754 [OA/ID 3571] 9501921 [OA/ID 570] 9501964 [OA/ID 571] 9502559 [OA/ID 574] 9502792 [OA/ID 576] 9503069 [OA/ID 4010] 9503449 [OA/ID 580] 9503756 [OA/ID 582] 9503923 [OA/ID 583] 9503591 [OA/ID 584] 9503954 [OA/ID 584] 9503955 [1] [OA/ID 584] 9503955 [2] [OA/ID 584] 9504444 [OA/ID 587] 9504824 [OA/ID 590] 9505532 [OA/ID 595] 9506082 [OA/ID 599] 9506101 [OA/ID 599] 9508868 [OA/ID 618] 9520908 [OA/ID 2174] 9520909 [OA/ID 2174] 9521065 [OA/ID 2175] 9521066 [OA/ID 2175] 9600034 [OA/ID 1080] 9600050 [OA/ID 1080] 9600223 [OA/ID 1081] 9600374 [OA/ID 1082] 9602081 [OA/ID 1093] 9620021 [OA/ID 2178] 9620022 [OA/ID 2178] [Longoria] 9408008 [OA/ID 216] 9408656 [OA/ID 219] 9409261 [OA/ID 483] 9500371 [OA/ID 560] 9500755 [OA/ID 563] 9501304 [OA/ID 566] 9502854 [OA/ID 576] [Operation Sea Signal] 9600232 [OA/ID 1081] 9600238 [OA/ID 1081] 9601504 [OA/ID 1089]