SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, CMC—The Directorate General of Migration (DGM) says it returned more than a quarter million Haitians to their country last year, insisting that their removals were carried out in compliance with human rights and international agreements to which the country is a signatory.
According to the DGM, a total of 276,215 Haitians were either deported or repatriated after they were found to be in an irregular migratory situation in the Dominican Republic.
It said that during the first three months of the year, 48,344 Haitians were removed from the Spanish-speaking country, followed by 62,446 in the second quarter, 71,414 from July to September, and 94,223 from October to December.
The presidency’s spokesman, Homero Figueroa, read the government’s statement following the National Security and Defense Council meeting and said then that it was intended to “address the situation of illegal migration from Haiti.
“Despite international support and the presence of the Kenya-led Multinational Mission to Support the Haitian National Police, results have so far been limited, and the process is moving slowly. Faced with this reality, we are obliged to act decisively and responsibly to ensure the security and stability of our country,” he added.
But Haitian officials note that the figures show that since October 3, when the National Security and Defense Council, chaired by President Luis Abinader, the Dominican Republic government has ordered the immediate execution of an operation aimed at repatriating to Haiti each week up to 10,000 Haitians.
But despite the testimonies, complaints, and criticisms of human rights organizations on the violations of the rights suffered by deported Haitians, the DGM maintains that the return of the illegal migrants was being carried out in compliance with human rights and international agreements to which the country is a signatory.
It said it is also in accordance with President Abinader’s policy and directives and that a comprehensive review of the DGM’s organization and procedures was carried out in the last quarter of 2024 with a view to reorganizing its operations.