John AdoyiThe Dominican Republic announced on Wednesday its plans to start weekly deportation of 10,000 Haitian migrants living in the country illegally, as Haiti grapple with gang violence that has gripped the nation for months.
Government spokesperson Homero Figueroa said the decision was made due to the noticeable surge of Haitian migrants entering the Dominican Republic, emphasizing that the “operation aims to reduce the excessive migrant populations detected in Dominican communities.”
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThis announcement follows a warning issued by President Luis Abinader to the United Nations General Assembly last week, where he threatened “drastic measures” should the UN-backed mission in Haiti fail. The mission, which began earlier this year, is led by about 400 police officers from Kenya, supported by contingents from Jamaica and Belize. Their goal is to quell the rampant gang violence plaguing Haiti, particularly in its capital, Port-au-Prince.
The timing of the Dominican Republic’s announcement coincides with a recent UN report revealing that over 3,000 Haitians were killed in the first half of 2024 as gang violence continues to escalate. The violence has displaced over 700,000 Haitians, with 5.4 million people, nearly half the population, facing acute hunger. Many have fled the country, while others live under the control of gangs, which dominate 80% of Port-au-Prince despite international efforts to restore order.
Haiti’s transitional council, in place since President Ariel Henry stepped down in April due to the inability to govern amid the gang takeover, has warned that they are “nowhere near winning” the battle against these armed groups. The crisis has left the country in a fragile state, with the Dominican Republic expressing increasing concern over the migration surge.
Last year, the Dominican Republic deported more than 174,000 people it identified as Haitians, with at least 67,000 more expelled in the first half of 2024. Despite warnings from the United Nations against forced deportations, the Dominican government has pressed forward with its stringent immigration policies.
In March, Elizabeth Tan, director of the UNHCR’s division of international protection, warned that “Haitians’ lives, safety, and freedom are threatened by skyrocketing gang violence and human rights violations.”
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She urged countries to ensure that Haitians in need of international protection receive it, and called on states to refrain from forcibly returning people to Haiti, including those whose asylum claims have been rejected. Rights groups have condemned these expulsions, accusing the Dominican authorities of perpetuating a racist immigration policy and highlighting a historical pattern of anti-Haitian discrimination.
