American Notes IMMIGRATION

"There's going to be a lot of celebrating in Miami," predicted a jubilant Roberto Arguello. The president of the Nicaraguan American Bankers Association was exulting last week because the Reagan Administration had just modified its immigration policy to provide asylum for 200,000 Nicaraguan exiles, including 75,000 in South Florida.

Exultation was not shared, however, by the legions of other Central American refugees the Administration refuses to welcome. Democratic Congressman John Joseph Moakley of Massachusetts, sponsor of legislation to prevent the deportation of Salvadorans and Nicaraguans, accused the Administration of "playing politics with people's lives" in helping Nicaraguans (reflecting U.S. aversion to the Sandinista regime) while ignoring ; Salvadorans (to avoid suggesting that they might have reason to flee from a government the U.S. supports). Said Moakley: "If El Salvador were under Communist leadership, they'd have the welcome wagons out waiting."