According to authorities at the Las Americas International Airport, the United States government has canceled the visas of more than 9,000 Dominicans over the last two years. The cancellations include people from all social and economic strata including both governmental and diplomatic personnel.
The reports obtained by El Nacional newspaper at the AILA airport state that among those affected are several members of a family, military and police officials both active and retired, including some who carried the rank of general and major general.
According to the newspaper, sources that handle these cases said that the number of persons affected with both tourists and residents visas canceled totals around 9,200 and that the decision was taken by the United States for a variety of reasons including criminal activity, such as money laundering, drug trafficking arms trafficking, corruption, contract killings, homicides and kidnapping. Visas were also canceled for human trafficking in the United States and Puerto Rico. There are also cases of Dominicans with a United States visa which have overstayed their visas and which were then stamped by the immigration service (ICE).
The list also includes former members of the government, diplomats, mayors, city Council members and former banking executives.
According to the report in many cases the affected persons were returned from the United States airport upon arrival, while others were notified by immigration service agents both in Santo Domingo as well as in the United States.
