Illegal immigration through the northern border provinces with Haiti (Santiago Rodriguez, Monte Cristi and Dajabon) has increased dramatically over the past months, reports the Listin Diario. Military presence in the region is limited to 400 men, patrolling over 300 km of frontier. Listin Diario reporters said that army officers in the area did not request documentation, or check vehicles or cargo. Around the customs areas in Dajabon and Malpasse, they watched Haitians enter and leave on foot, mules, horses or motorcycles, loaded with packages and without any restrictions whatsoever. The governor of Dajabon, Sonia Mateo de Espinosa, expressed her concern regarding what she deemed as the growing traffic of illegal aliens.
“Here there is no control, there is no such thing as patriotism and the desire to preserve our territorial integrity,” said Antonio Urbaez, deputy Ministry of Environment prosecutor for the provinces of Monte Cristi, Dajabon and Santiago Rodriguez. He said that the crossing of illegal Haitians is shameful. “They are transported in overcrowded minibuses and pickups and even in groups by three by motorcycle, he said, commenting that hundreds are dedicated to the blatant smuggling of Haitians. He said that the smugglers charge RD$1,500 to RD$2,000 to carry the Haitians to Valverde, Mao from where they can continue on their routes without problems because there are no military checkpoints. PLD deputy Gregorio Reyes said that hundreds of illegal Haitians travel from Santiago Rodriguez to Santiago in the early morning. “This is an unbearable situation for which a solution needs to be found”. Professor Rafael Taveras of the Dajabon high school complained that in the city there are several centers where Haitians are kept during the day, to wait until nightfall for transfer to Valverde, Mao. “The authorities know about this, because they see them go past. The minibuses full of illegal Haitians pass right in front of the military.” Meanwhile, the mayor of Restauracion municipality, Carlos Fontanilla, called the situation “serious.” He said that never before had they seen so much smuggling of Haitians, crossing freely. “In a few years we will be all Haitians,” he said. Meanwhile, Colonel Perez Volquez said that they maintain the military and police service in the area, but cannot cover all the territory. Father Regino Martinez Breton said that the increase in the presence of illegal Haitians is due to the thousands who returned to Haiti for the Christmas holidays, and are now making their way back to their workplaces in the DR.