US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2054

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/PD, IIP/T/ES, IIP/G/WHA, PRM, AND WHA/CEN 
EMBASSIES FOR PAOS, IOs 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, SMIG, PREL, PGOV, KPAO, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DHS' RESPONSE TO HURRICANE 
KATRINA VICTIMS, OCTOBER 4, 2005 
 
 
1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
on 10/3 entitled "Nerve-wracking."  "Crescencio Arcos, 
Director of International Affairs of the Department of 
Internal Security of the United States, known as `Homeland 
Security,' has offered a statement to the national press in 
regard to the treatment received by those displaced by 
Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of them Hondurans who lived in 
the southern communities of the United States." 
 
"With regard to the actions taken by the federal government 
to assist the thousands of Hispanics who were affected by 
Katrina, Ambassador Arcos said to La Tribuna, `To reach the 
large Hispanic and Vietnamese populations in the Gulf coast 
region, DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) have deployed a number of Community Relations 
Officers and Public Affairs Officers who are multilingual to 
aid the victims in finding and applying for assistance'." 
 
"There has been some tension among the Spanish-speaking 
population that the U.S. authorities will deport all 
undocumented aliens to their country of origin.  On this 
issue Arcos said, `U.S. government officers will not 
routinely verify the immigration status of individuals 
seeking emergency assistance as a result of Katrina or any 
other natural disaster.'  These statements have cleared up 
some of the doubts held by those who might have been 
affected by deportations." 
 
"Without a doubt, the timely declarations of Ambassador 
Arcos have calmed the anxiety that has prevailed amongst 
hurricane victims, who can now benefit from the services 
provided by hurricane shelters without the fear that they 
will be captured, put in a plane and sent back." 
 
Williard