Haitians can be sent home

WASHINGTON (Reuter) - The US Supreme Court said that while opponents mount a legal challenge, the government could continue its two-month-old policy of forcibly returning to their country Haitian immigrants picked up at sea. The court said the case would be decided quickly and gave the government until 24 August to defend its policy and the challengers until 8 September to make their case.

The US Coast Guard has picked up 38,265 Haitians at sea since last September's coup and 10,490 have been approved as refugees. The US says more Haitians are trying to escape poverty, not persecution.