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The Dominican Republic has firmly rejected allegations of discrimination and xenophobia in its deportation practices, following heightened criticism from Haiti over the mass repatriation of undocumented migrants. In a statement released on Friday, the Dominican government emphasized that its immigration policies are focused on maintaining national stability and managing the economic strain caused by irregular migration, not targeting specific nationalities.
The statement comes in response to recent accusations from the Haitian government, which condemned the Dominican Republic’s decision to increase deportations. Earlier this month, the Dominican government announced plans to repatriate up to 10,000 undocumented migrants per week, the majority of them Haitians. The policy has sparked concerns from Haitian officials, who have called the deportations “massive and discriminatory” and accused the Dominican Republic of violating human dignity and legal procedures.
In its response, the Dominican government rejected claims of state-sponsored racism and mistreatment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the country remains committed to upholding human rights both domestically and internationally, and it views any related accusations seriously. The government’s official position, outlined in the document Dominican Position on Key Issues in Relations with Haiti, Including Migration, reiterated that the deportations are in accordance with Dominican law and have been recognized as legitimate by Haitian authorities.
The Dominican government also pointed to the heavy economic burden that irregular migration places on public services, particularly healthcare and education, which are provided free of charge. It described the situation as unsustainable and argued that addressing migration is essential to preserving the country’s stability. The statement also expressed frustration over the lack of international and Haitian support in tackling the root causes of migration.
Despite this, the Haitian government has continued to condemn the repatriations. On Wednesday, it called for an immediate halt to the deportations, urging the Dominican government to respect migrants’ rights and curb what they describe as growing xenophobia.
According to official data, more than half a million Haitians currently reside in the Dominican Republic. In the first half of 2024, the Dominican government deported over 67,000 undocumented migrants, the vast majority of whom were Haitian nationals.
While tensions between the two countries persist, the Dominican Republic has indicated it remains open to dialogue with Haiti to resolve the situation. However, it underscored that addressing the internal issues in Haiti, which fuel migration, should be the priority.
