Port-au-Prince: Haiti’s Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy condemned the Dominican Republic’s recently announced policy to deport up to 10,000 migrants weekly, emphasizing that the move exacerbates an already dire humanitarian crisis fueled by gang violence in Haiti.
“The brutal scenes of roundups and deportations that we are witnessing are an affront to human dignity,” Dupuy stated on X (formerly Twitter). “We strongly condemn these dehumanizing acts and demand respect and justice.”
The Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti, has begun deporting tens of thousands of migrants illegally residing in the country. In the first week of October alone, the Dominican Republic has deported over 9,000 individuals, including more than 4,900 Haitians, according to the nation’s migration agency.
While the Dominican government argues that Haiti’s instability has led to increased crime and security issues within its borders, critics, including Dupuy, argue that the mass deportations violate human rights standards. The United Nations has called for an immediate halt to the deportations, citing the danger faced by returning Haitians.
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If the Dominican Republic proceeds with its plan, the number of deported Haitians could significantly exceed last year’s total of over 200,000. Dupuy has alerted relevant international bodies regarding the situation, expressing concern over the treatment of migrants.
Recent unverified videos circulating on social media show chaotic scenes, including a crowd fleeing from Dominican officials near Punta Cana, a popular tourist destination. Additionally, protests have emerged from Haitian construction workers in the Dominican Republic, who demand work permits to avoid deportation.
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William Charpentier, head of the Dominican Republic’s National Bureau for Migration and Refugees, expressed concerns about the mass deportation plan, stating that it undermines the immigration system’s capacity to evaluate individual cases. He emphasized that while the Dominican government has the right to deport undocumented migrants, this right must be exercised within the bounds of international law.
In the United States, political discourse surrounding Haitian migrants has intensified, with presidential candidate Donald Trump advocating for mass deportations and making controversial claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.
