In a significant and controversial move, the Dominican Republic has launched a crackdown leading to the arrest of more than 130 undocumented Haitian women and children within the first day of this operation in hospitals across Santo Domingo. Many of the women among those apprehended were either pregnant or had recently given birth, raising serious concerns over their treatment and healthcare access. This initiative is part of President Luis Abinader's strategy to forcibly repatriate up to 10,000 undocumented migrants each week, aiming to regulate the ongoing migration crisis resulting from deteriorating conditions in Haiti.
Critics, however, have condemned the government's approach, asserting it fails to consider the plight of those fleeing dire circumstances such as extreme gang violence and rampant poverty in Port-au-Prince. A witness, who accompanied a friend in labor at a hospital, expressed grave concerns about the uncertainty and fear facing pregnant women seeking essential medical care under the threat of deportation.
Despite the government's assertion that detainees would receive "dignified treatment" in detention facilities, which included biometric and fingerprinting processes, many remain skeptical about the actual care provided to vulnerable individuals. Reports reveal that thousands of Haitians make perilous crossings into the Dominican Republic weekly, often in desperate search of safety and sustenance.
To address the influx, statistics indicate that the Dominican Republic has deported over 80,000 individuals to Haiti in just the first three months of the current year. President Abinader’s administration has remained vocal about its disappointment with what it perceives as the global community's inadequate response to the escalating crisis in Haiti, which continues to push many to seek refuge and support beyond their borders.
