He was mistaken about that, and the controversy over his custody could last for months. Last week congressional Republicans came close to introducing a bill to declare Elian an honorary U.S. citizen–then backed down, perhaps because national polls are running heavily in favor of sending him home. In Miami, legal maneuvering by Elian’s relatives shifted to federal court, where the Clinton administration argued that law and morality require his repatriation to Cuba. The next step is a ruling on whether the Feds have jurisdiction, followed by the inevitable appeal. That means Elian will be staying in Miami for now despite his grandmothers’ pleas. “I felt for them,” said Sister Leonor Esnard, a nun who helped arrange the visit. “They love that kid.”
