At a time when sectors say the Dominican government is being lax and allowing thousands of undocumented Haitians to enter and work, the Migration Agency (DGM) says that since the Abinader administration stepped up deportations in October 2024, some 180,000 have been sent back to Haiti.
In October 2024, the government had announced deportations of up to 10,000 per week would be carried out to contain Haitian migration. Hoy reports this would have added up to 240,000 deportations for the six-month period.
The breakdown for deportations over the past six months (October 2024 to 31 March 2025) is:
• Total Repatriations (October 2024 – March 31, 2025): 180,417
• October 2024: 40,223
• November 2024: 28,703
• December 2024: 25,085
• January 2025: 31,213
• February 2025: 26,659
• March 2025: 28,534
The DGM emphasized that this historical six-month repatriation figure includes the 28,534 Haitian nationals detained in March for their irregular migratory status.
In 2024 the total repatriations for the year was 276,215 people, and in 2025 the accumulated number of repatriations for the first three months of the year is 86,406 people.
The DGM reports that all individuals processed for deportation underwent biometric registration and validation, with individual assessments conducted according to established protocols.
Interdiction operations were carried out across various provinces, including the Greater Santo Domingo area, La Romana, La Altagracia, and regions along the border with Haiti.
These operations were conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, the National Army, the Dominican Navy, the Dominican Air Force, the National Police, the Public Ministry, and other governmental entities.
Senator Rafael (Cholitin) Baron Duluc of La Altagracia province says that the migratory pressure has increased three times with the continuing worsening of the multidimensional crisis in Haiti.
Sectors nevertheless are pressuring the government to comply with the law that only allows companies to hire 20% foreigners and requires that workers be legally documented.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Hoy
2 April 2025