Dominica Republic deports thousands of Haitians

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, CMC – The Directorate of Dominican Migration says it has deported nearly 70,000 Haitians during the first six months of this year as it steps up measures to control the illegal entry of citizens into the Spanish speaking Caribbean country.

The organisation said in June, nearly 12,000 Haitians were returned to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country and that 7,000 others were turned back at the border trying to enter illegally.

It said that nearly 5,000 others living illegally on Dominican territory were deported.

Some of those deported had been living on the island that the two countries share for more than 10 years.

In May, nearly 11,000 Haitians were returned to Haiti while in April, nearly 11,500 were deported.

According to the organisation, for the first 3 months of the year nearly 35,000 Haitians were deported during migration controls or expelled to the border and that from July 2015 to June this year, at the official and unofficial border points, nearly 300,000 Haitians were deported or returned to Haiti.

It reminded that the “National Plan for the Regulation of Abroad” and the extension of temporary residence cards granted to Haitians will expire on August 26 this year.

“Most of the 239,000 Haitians who have not been able to regularise will be then under threat of deportation. It is urgent that the Haitian authorities enter into discussion with the Dominican State to avoid a possible massive repatriation in the coming months,” it added.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-449-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.