The Third Country National Agreement (TCNA) signed last week as a Memorandum of
Understanding between the Dominican Republic and the United States of America has
stirred up a good deal of differing opinions and stern warnings from various sectors of the
population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basically, as reported last week in DR1 News, the agreement will allow the United States to deport people from the United States to the Dominican Republic, about 30 per month, according to Roberto Alvarez, the Minister for Foreign Relations. Alvarez stressed that the agreement is non-binding, with no legal consequences if not fulfilled, and can be terminated at any time by either party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jos\u00e9 Ricardo Taveras, a former director of the Dominican Republic\u2019s Migration Agency, has raised alarms regarding the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a series of statements posted to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Taveras questioned the legal framework of the bilateral cooperation agreement. He argued that the Dominican state lacks the legal authority to detain individuals it is not actively deporting itself. Taveras warns that third-country nationals deported from the United States to Dominican soil would likely be granted immediate freedom by local courts due to a lack of legal jurisdiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnder what norm can the legality of this detention be sustained if the Dominican state is not the holder of the right to deport them?\u201d Taveras wrote. \u201cAs soon as they appeal to a court, they will be released because a memorandum can in no case sustain restrictions of any kind on individual liberty, even administrative ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concerns over long-term responsibility
Taveras criticized the arrangement for effectively turning the Dominican Republic into an “extraterritorial administrative retention center” for the United States. While the United States has said it will make available funding for the multi-institutional team managing the arrivals, Taveras cautioned that financial support may eventually cease, leaving the Dominican Republic to manage a population of “stranded” individuals with “absolutely unknown profiles.” If the funds ever stop, the foreigners could become a problem for the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growing national criticism
The MoU, announced on 13 May 2026, has ignited a wave of pushback from political and civic leaders who question both its constitutionality and its impact on national sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among others, Wilson G\u00f3mez Ram\u00edrez, president of the Instituto Duartiano, described the pact as \u201cexcessively complacent\u201d and a violation of the constitution. He specifically noted a \u201cviolent change in attitude\u201d from President Luis Abinader, who had previously dismissed the possibility of such an agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pelegr\u00edn Castillo of the National Progressive Force (FNP) argued that the country should not be accepting foreign nationals from other continents while already facing “enormous and dangerous” pressures regarding the crisis in Haiti. Castillo called on the United States to focus its “Shield of the Americas” initiative on stabilizing Haiti and supporting the Dominican Republic against external commercial pressures rather than outsourcing migration processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dominican government has yet to provide a detailed rebuttal to the specific legal challenges raised by Taveras regarding the temporary administrative status of these foreign nationals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dominican government officials have given overviews but have not shared the documentation exchanged with the United States for this agreement, a first time the Dominican Republic accepts deported persons from third persons. For decades the Dominican Republic has received Dominican nationals deported from the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bishop of Santiago against the agreement
Another to protest the agreement is the Bishop of Santiago. He says the DR cannot be a dump yard for people evicted from the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santiago, Monsignor H\u00e9ctor Rafael Rodr\u00edguez, issued a sharp rebuke on the evening of 14 May 2026 regarding reports that the Dominican Republic would accept deportees from the United States. During a press briefing following a Mass at the Santiago Apostol Cathedral, the prelate argued that the nation should not be forced to shoulder external burdens that could jeopardize domestic social stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is as if the Dominican Republic were a human dumping ground where the United States sends people it does not want,\u201d Monsignor Rodriguez stated. He said the potential influx is a threat to the country\u2019s already fragile social and moral fabric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Archbishop expressed dissatisfaction with recent statements made by the Ministry of Foreign Relations (Mirex). He noted that official explanations have failed to clarify the scope of the alleged agreement, leading to increased public apprehension rather than clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rodriguez questioned why the Dominican Republic must inherit problems rejected by United States authorities. He warned that the country is currently grappling with high levels of social and moral decay, and the arrival of these individuals could aggravate the national situation. The Archbishop voiced concerns over the long-term impact on public safety and communal coexistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monsignor Rodr\u00edguez formally challenged the Dominican government to provide a transparent account of the proposed logistics. He demanded specific details regarding where the individuals will reside and their legal status and under what specific conditions the individuals will be accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more: 18 May 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Third Country National Agreement (TCNA) signed last week as a Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Dominican Republic and the United States of America hasstirred up a good deal of differing opinions and stern warnings from various sectors of thepopulation. Basically, as reported last week in DR1 News, the agreement will allow the United States to … <\/p>\n
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