When Fidel Castro opened up the Cuban port of Mariel in 1980 and approximately 125,000 Cubans streamed into the U.S., President Carter urged Congress to pass legislation making the newcomers eligible for permanent resident status. But Congress never complied. Since then, the Marielitos, most of whom live in Florida, have remained in legal limbo. That began to change last week when new regulations went into effect permitting the Marielitos to register for permanent resident status. Outside Miami-area immigration offices, Marielitos crowded into lines as early as 3 a.m. At week's end...
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