Dominican Republic steps up Haitian deportations, raising tensions

The Dominican Republic is stepping up deportations of Haitians and is creating a police unit focused on foreigners, fueling tensions between the two Caribbean nations whose relations have for decades been marred by migration disputes.
Dominican President Luis Abinader last week issued a decree calling for stepped up migration protocols enforcement and the creation of a police unit to investigate foreigners living in “illegal land occupations.”
Critics in Haiti have noted those plans run counter to a United Nations call for countries not to return citizens to Haiti due to chronic gang violence.
“Prime Minister Ariel Henry is very concerned about the mass deportations that are taking place in the Dominican Republic,” said Jean-Junior Joseph, a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office, in a statement on Wednesday. “We hope that the rights of our citizens are respected.”
The Dominican Republic’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.