Clinton’s Stand on Haiti

In your article, “Clinton Warns Haitians Not to Flee to the U.S.” (Jan. 15), you report that the appeal was an “awkward” moment for Clinton, since during the campaign he had attacked the Bush Administration for the “cruel and illegal” practice of returning fleeing refugees without giving them asylum hearings.

Awkward, perhaps, but this change in policy calms the fears of millions of taxpaying citizens who are alarmed by the specter of mass exodus of Haitians to the U.S., where they could overload our already strained social services. No doubt Clinton’s Haitian policy was not the deciding factor in the election results, so a little backpedaling on this troubling campaign promise might even enhance his image.

LOUISE HAUTER

La Canada