The commission appointed to investigate the settlement of undocumented Haitians in Montellano will begin its work today, Thursday 8 January 2015, according to the Minister of Interior and Police Jose Ramon Fadul. The visits will also extend to other localities in the province of Puerto Plata, as reported in Diario Libre.
The Minister said that they have information that foreign donations are being used to build housing for undocumented migrants in other parts of the province, pointing out that no entity has the authority to do this.
Fadul said that the four-member commission would survey the situation over the next two days in order to present a report. But, he added, once the deadline for the Foreigner Legalization Plan expires, any foreigners without legal status would be deported. He said the border is being reinforced.
“Now, if they (the Samaritan Foundation that sponsored the housing in Montellano, Puerto Plata province) want to help the illegals, they should help them get their documents,” he said. He commented that this was the right moment to do so. “We are carrying out the Legalization Plan that is obligatory, so they should help them find their documentation, take them to the places where they can legalize their immigration situation in the country,” he said.
He also said that with illegal settlements like the one in Montellano, the foreigners are contributing to the problem that affects national sovereignty.
In response, lawyer Juarez Castillo said that by building the housing, the Samaritan Foundation has violated the Constitution and articles 9 and 10, as well as article 128, paragraph A, of the Immigration Law that establishes penalties of up to two years of prison for illegal immigrants and for the directors of entities that provide shelter for them in the Dominican Republic. “When they are entities, i.e. companies or foundations that do this (build housing), the criminal responsibility lies with the president and directors of these institutions,” said Castillo in reference to article 128 of the Immigration Law. He described what has been done in Montellano as an outrage, saying that he believed that penal action must be taken on the grounds that it is also a violation of national sovereignty.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/01/08/i957951_comisin-hoy-montellano-indagar-proyectos-para-ilegales.html