The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations has rejected the decision by the Dominican Republic Constitutional Court to deny nationality to the children of illegal immigrants who are born in the country.
OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said that the decision would deprive thousands of people of a nationality, which will have a negative impact on their basic rights.
In the sentence issued on 26 September 2013, the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic upheld the Supreme Court of Justice ruling issued in 2005 that says that the “in transit” clause in the Dominican Constitution since 1929 means not having legal status.
The sentence gives the Central Electoral Board (JCE) a year to come up with a list of people who do not comply with the requirements for legally having acquired a Dominican identity. People who do not qualify for Dominican identity are being given the option to use fast-tracked procedures for legalizing their status as foreigners as a first step before acquiring Dominican nationality.
www.diariolibre.com/latinoamerica/2013/10/01/i404641_onu-condena-que-dominicana-niegue-nacionalidad-hijos-haitianos.html