Increase in Haitian migrant deportations from the Dominican Republic noted.
In an abrupt shift in migration policy, the Dominican Republic, now under the leadership of President Luis Abinader, who was reinstated for a second term in 2024, has significantly ramped up deportations to neighboring Haiti – the poorest nation grappling with rampant gang violence.
The General Directorate of Migration (DGM) revealed that they repatriated a staggering 32,540 Haitian citizens in April 2025, bringing the total for the four-month period of January-April to 119,003. This alarming figure represents a whopping 71% increase compared to the same period the previous year. In 2024, the total number of deportations amounted to a staggering 276,215.
In a controversial move, the Dominican Republic initiated raids on public hospitals in late April, targeting undocumented pregnant women and mothers with newborns, as part of a wider crackdown against arrivals from Haiti. Human rights groups have condemned this measure as inhumane and inhumane.
However, President Abinader asserted his resolve to extend the 54-kilometer wall along the shared boundary, and recent troop deployments to the border further underscore the government's hardline stance on immigration. Approximately 500,000 Haitians currently reside in the Dominican Republic, a population of approximately 11.3 million people.
This intensified deportation policy is rooted in a complex mix of security concerns and political strategies, colliding with severe human rights issues and escalating bilateral tensions. The reinvigorated border control measures have been justified by the 2023 Haitian irrigation canal dispute, worsening gang violence in Haiti, and growing public demand for action, largely influenced by nationalist groups. Yet, these initiatives have been fraught with allegations of abuses, massive displacement risks, and marginalization of Haitian communities within the Dominican Republic.
International diplomacy has frayed, with Haiti summoning the Dominican ambassador to discuss migration policies in April, while Dominican officials counter that not all Haitians in the country are undocumented. Furthermore, the UN has expressed concerns over inadequate responses to gang violence in Haiti, complicating efforts towards regional security cooperation. The escalation in hostilities marked by recent protests and accelerated wall construction indicate a continued standoff, with little diplomatic resolution in sight. The Haitian government, while pledging to promote harmonious relations, is grappling with the stark reality of mass deportations and xenophobic violence.
- The 2025 surge in deportations of Haitian citizens from the Dominican Republic, totaling 119,003 in the first four months alone, has sparked international debate and criticism, with human rights groups labeling the measure as inhumane.
- Politically, President Abinader's hardline stance on immigration, as indicated by the extension of the 54-kilometer wall along the shared border and recent troop deployments, has stirred up a political storm, with Haiti summoning their ambassador and the UN expressing concerns over inadequate responses to gang violence.
- The decision to initiate raids on public hospitals, targeting undocumented pregnant women and mothers with newborns, has been a part of a wider crackdown against arrivals from Haiti, resulting in allegations of abuses and marginalization of Haitian communities within the Dominican Republic.
- The increasing deployment of troops to the border and the construction of the wall, justified by the 2023 Haitian irrigation canal dispute, worsening gang violence in Haiti, and growing public demand for action, have led to a war-and-conflicts focus in general news and crime-and-justice sections.
- Amidst growing tension, the Dominican Republic, under President Abinader, has ramped up deportations to neighboring Haiti, leading to a 71% increase compared to the previous year, a figure that peaked at a staggering 276,215 in 2024, raising concerns over migration policies in diplomatic circles.
