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ELIAN GONZALEZ UPDATE
Elian Gonzalez has now been with his father for a week.  They are staying in a home near Washington, D.C.  Visas have been issued for a number of Elian’s friends to come visit him, many of whom have arrived in the US.  None, however, as yet, have been able to see the child.  
Regardless of opinion on the custody battle and asylum claim, the reaction to the armed raid on the house of Lazaro Gonzalez has been resoundingly negative.  This week the INS exerted much effort trying to justify its actions.  According to a statement issued this week, the INS had evidence that there could be more than 20 armed people in the house who were going to try to prevent Elian’s removal.  The government has also countered criticism of the timing of the raid by pointing out that it did not occur on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. 
Meanwhile, the effects of the raid are being felt on every level of government in Miami.  The mayor of the city, Joe Carollo, who has supported efforts to keep Elian in the US, called for the resignation of the city’s chief of police, who cooperated with federal agents during the raid.  However, the city’s charter prevents the mayor from firing the police chief.  Because the city manager, the only person with authority to fire the police chief, refused, Carollo fired the manager, Donald Warshaw.  After this, the chief of police, William O’Brien, resigned. 
This week also saw more decisions from the Eleventh Circuit.  First, it ruled that Elian cannot be taken anywhere where he would be outside the jurisdiction of US courts.  This means he cannot be taken to the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C.  The other decision was about custody of Elian.  The court refused to appoint an independent guardian to represent Elian’s interests, and said that it would allow his father to submit a brief to the court outlining why he should be appointed to represent Elian’s interests.