No to mass collective deportations in the Dominican Republic

The CLACSO Steering Committee requests the Dominican government to postpone mass collective deportations

In October of this year, the General Directorate of Migration of the Dominican Republic began operations "to deport 10 Haitians per week,^" According to statements from the General Directorate of Migration, this goal was decided at the beginning of the month by the National Defense and Security Council, headed by President Luis Abinader. The purpose of these actions is “to reduce the perceived excess of migrant population in Dominican communities and will be carried out under strict protocols that ensure respect for the human rights and dignity of those repatriated,” the agency stated.

At CLACSO, we are deeply concerned about these operations, among other things because:

1. Arbitrary arrests are being carried out, primarily based on skin color, reflecting a discriminatory approach to immigration management that has historical roots and is growing more pronounced and overt every day. These measures are affecting not only undocumented immigrants but also those with legal status, as well as Dominicans, including people of Haitian descent and others, as documented in countless press reports and testimonies from those affected.

• The conditions under which these operations and arrests are carried out fall far short of the respect for human rights that the Dominican government promised to uphold. The violent manner in which the operations and arrests are conducted, the conditions of transport, and the presence of children and pregnant women in the caged immigration trucks demonstrate inhumane treatment. These practices, along with the indiscriminate and arbitrary interdictions, which have worsened since 2021, are escalating and constitute a blatant violation of Dominican law, due process, and the State's commitments to respecting human dignity.

• The operations and the way they are carried out have caused many migrants to have to hide or put their lives at risk to avoid being detained.

• This policy provides support and encouragement to far-right movements and groups that promote hatred and violence, which represent a serious threat to Dominican democracy and the safety of human rights defenders.

The Dominican Republic, as a country of origin for migrants who largely sustain the economic activity of millions of households, must respect human dignity, the law, and the rule of law, which have been violated by these policies of mass and arbitrary detention and expulsion. Considering the risks and vulnerabilities of the Dominican population scattered throughout the region is fundamental to designing migration policies and ensuring that, as a country, the rights of its citizens are protected. These individuals, like Haitians on the move, migrate in search of a better quality of life.

The government has a duty to curb the movements and spokespeople of far-right and anti-democratic projects that use anti-immigrant violence as a platform to gain political status. From there, they are attempting to lead the Dominican Republic down authoritarian and despotic paths, similar to those already imposed in other countries, driven by hidden interests and with disastrous consequences.

We urge the Dominican government to reconsider its immigration policies and mass deportation operations. While the Dominican Republic has the sovereign right to design and implement its laws, these must guarantee respect for the human rights of every person within its territory, protect their dignity, and avoid promoting actions that incite hate speech and reinforce xenophobic sentiments.

CLACSO Steering Committee
November 26th 2024