The Migration Agency reports in a press release issued on Monday, 7 October 2024 around 9,000 undocumented migrants have been deported in the past seven days.
The Dominican Republic stepped up the deportations in response to the continuing situation in Haiti where rampant gang violence, lack of jobs and social services pressure the population to migrate across the land border to the Dominican Republic.
President Luis Abinader recently appointed Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, head of the C5i intelligence division of the Ministry of Defense, to the position of director of Migration.
The deportations were stepped up last week after the National Defense and Security Council took the decision in view of the stagnation of the crisis in Haiti. The deportations serve as a deterrent to more Haitian migration, a significant burden to Dominican taxpayers.
Director General of Migration, Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester emphasized that all operations are conducted with respect for human rights and the proportional use of force, as instructed by President Luis Abinader. “Everyone is undergoing a verification process to determine their immigration status in the country. Those found to be irregular will be deported to their countries of origin,” Lee Ballester stated.
Haitian Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy is taking the plight of her fellow citizens to the world in protest for the deportations. Dupuy advocates for historical restitution for Haiti and blames racism in the Dominican Republic for the deportations.
The situation in Haiti has resulted in the Dominican Republic becoming the lead provider of social services for the Haitian population. New Haitian arrivals are now displacing Dominicans in hospitals and schools.
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Diario Libre
8 October 2024