In a significant escalation of immigration enforcement, the Dominican Republic has detained more than 130 Haitian women and children as part of a stringent crackdown on undocumented migrants. This operation, which took place on the first day of enforcement, targeted hospitals in Santo Domingo, with a notable number of arrested individuals being either pregnant or recent mothers.
The government’s initiative is aligned with its broader strategy, announced last year, aimed at deporting up to 10,000 undocumented migrants weekly to address increasing migration from Haiti. However, President Luis Abinader’s administration has faced mounting criticism for its treatment of Haitian migrants, many of whom are fleeing severe gang violence and dire poverty in Port-au-Prince.
Officials from the immigration department assert that the women received "dignified treatment" when taken to a detention center, where their biometric data and fingerprints were collected. Despite this claim, onlookers have raised concerns about the anxiety experienced by pregnant women and mothers in need of urgent medical care. One woman accompanying a friend in labor voiced her fears, highlighting that the risks of complications during travel to hospitals could jeopardize both mother and child’s safety.
The Dominican Republic has seen a surge in Haitian migration across its border, with thousands seeking refuge from escalating violence and hunger in their homeland. To manage this influx, authorities reported deporting over 80,000 individuals back to Haiti within the first quarter of this year. Amid these developments, President Abinader has expressed dissatisfaction with the international community's efforts to restore order in Haiti, indicating a complex regional crisis that continues to affect both nations.
