Dominican children held by Migracion

[drstock]

My nephew at 14 yrs could have easily passed for 18-19 yrs.

Well, these kids, especially the girl, could be mistaken for older, I suppose, but I wouldn't think so. But if their age is mistaken, what are they supposed to do? Just accept being illegally deported? They do not have cedulas because they are too young and nobody should have to carry around an original birth certificate and an original passport which they are lucky enough to have, unlike most Dominican kids.

I have been told that when they are fifteen or sixteen they can obtain a "No Vota" cedula. Does anyone know which age it is?

 

[NanSanPedro]

Well, these kids, especially the girl, could be mistaken for older, I suppose, but I wouldn't think so. But if their age is mistaken, what are they supposed to do? Just accept being illegally deported? They do not have cedulas because they are too young and nobody should have to carry around an original birth certificate and an original passport which they are lucky enough to have, unlike most Dominican kids.

I have been told that when they are fifteen or sixteen they can obtain a "No Vota" cedula. Does anyone know which age it is?

Correct me if I'm wrong:

I believe that if they take anyone in one of these raids you go to a central processing place. In the case of Boca Chica, it's Haina. At that processing place is where the final decision to deport or release is made.

If the above is accurate, then because they are minors they would not have been deported. Traumatic? Yes, but not deported. I would assume they would have a chance to call mom then.

But I assume that even if they Haitian, they still would not have deported them but released them to a parent/guardian. Then, they could deport the family.

I'm really curious as I have a dog (actually 2) in this fight. My great nephews are 13 and 11 and are blacker than night. I take them everywhere and they are often sent to the store to buy stuff as the belief of their parents is that they will not deport minors.

 

[drstock]

Correct me if I'm wrong:

I believe that if they take anyone in one of these raids you go to a central processing place. In the case of Boca Chica, it's Haina. At that processing place is where the final decision to deport or release is made.

If the above is accurate, then because they are minors they would not have been deported. Traumatic? Yes, but not deported. I would assume they would have a chance to call mom then.

But I assume that even if they Haitian, they still would not have deported them but released them to a parent/guardian. Then, they could deport the family.

I'm really curious as I have a dog (actually 2) in this fight. My great nephews are 13 and 11 and are blacker than night. I take them everywhere and they are often sent to the store to buy stuff as the belief of their parents is that they will not deport minors.

Yes, you are broadly correct. In my kids' case, they were taken to the centre at Santiago, where they were held overnight. It certainly was traumatic, as they were in cells with adults, in disgusting conditions. So much so, that as soon as they were released they were taken to a hotel to clean up and then to get some new clothes.

I assume that if nobody had come with evidence of their age and being Dominican, they would ultimately have been deported but in this case the mother's boyfriend came with photos of their birth certificates, which although it wasn't sufficient proof allowed us to get them out with a substantial payment. I don't think they are normally held for very long at the Migracion centre before being deported so I may not have been able to get there with the actual birth certificates in time.

What would happen to your young relations I don't know. If they look really young I expect they wouldn't get picked up in the first place. But if they were, you are right that the family, on going to retrieve them, would be picked up and deported as a whole if they are illegal here. As I said previously, we have all seen photos of kids (probably with parents) in Migracion trucks.

 

[keepcoming]

I do not pretend to understand/know everything about the deportation of Haitians or minors. Maybe go to the news/social media with this.

 

[slowmo]

the mother's boyfriend came with photos of their birth certificates, which although it wasn't sufficient proof allowed us to get them out with a substantial payment.

Substantial payment alone was probably all the proof that was needed.

 

[AlterEgo]

You obviously couldn't be bothered to read the reply I made to you before explaining that the kids were born and educated here in the DR. They have lived here all their lives and have never lived anywhere else. Why would their voice/accent be any different from any other Dominican? The same applies to their mother.

Are these children and their mother ethnically Haitian? Even if I have citizenship, no one is going to mistake me for a Dominican.

 

[drstock]

Are these children and their mother ethnically Haitian? Even if I have citizenship, no one is going to mistake me for a Dominican.

Yes, I believe they have Haitian origins generations ago. And yes, they are black.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes, I believe they have Haitian origins generations ago. And yes, they are black.

That explains a lot, they’re being profiled for their Haitian features, and need to be doubly aware and proactive about carrying ID.

There are many many young Haitians born and raised in DR who sound totally Dominican, but are not. I know some of them. It’s a sad situation, but in the end the migration guys are just doing their job.

 

[josh2203]

And yes, they are black.

I find this interesting... One of my wife's uncles and his wife are pitch black, and so are their children. However, they obviously all speak "Dominican" if you will. Very nice people, but I do find it a bit worrying for migration to go with skin tone if that is the case...

As per the newest replies, please ignore my comment then...

 

[windeguy]

I find this interesting... One of my wife's uncles and his wife are pitch black, and so are their children. However, they obviously all speak "Dominican" if you will. Very nice people, but I do find it a bit worrying for migration to go with skin tone if that is the case...

As per the newest replies, please ignore my comment then...

I could not agree with you more. All illegals should be deported.

 

[AlterEgo]

I find this interesting... One of my wife's uncles and his wife are pitch black, and so are their children. However, they obviously all speak "Dominican" if you will. Very nice people, but I do find it a bit worrying for migration to go with skin tone if that is the case...

As per the newest replies, please ignore my comment then...

I doubt they will have any problems. Black Haitians and black Dominicans look different, their ancestors came from different parts of Africa. Most Dominicans can tell the difference at a glance.

 

[drstock]

That explains a lot, they’re being profiled for their Haitian features, and need to be doubly aware and proactive about carrying ID.

There are many many young Haitians born and raised in DR who sound totally Dominican, but are not. I know some of them. It’s a sad situation, but in the end the migration guys are just doing their job.

Well I can't agree that arresting Dominican children, whatever their family's origins from generations ago, is right or "just doing their job". I also don't agree that black Dominican and Haitians have different features, any more than you can tell whether I'm white English or American by my features. I would love to put a photo of them here to see if you can tell their nationality by their appearance but I don't think it's fair on them. I don't say that all black people look the same - they don't - but I would challenge you to say whether they were Dominican, Haitian, American or British by their appearance.

Imagine if your children were taken out of a shop, put in a truck and put in a disgusting cell for an unspecified time, with the prospect of being sent to a country where they know nobody, don't speak the language and have no means of support. If that is what is involved in Migracion officers "just doing their job", then it's a pretty disgusting job.

As I have said, they are too young to have cedulas, so now I am giving them copies of their birth certificates and passports to carry with their phones, but whether that will be enough remains to be seen.