7,300 Haitians were counted at the border from the neighboring Republic in April. Nearly half of them deported, denounced Friday the Support Group for Refugees and Repatriates (GARR).
3,158 were repatriated; 3,246 decided to return; 856 were repressed; and more than 2,800 said they were imprisoned before being taken to the border, the organization, which monitors migrants’ rights, reported.
Deportations have increased since last year amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries and measures taken by the government of Luis Abinader to curb the illegal crossing of Haitians.
In March, GARR reported the return of at least 300 Haitians, some of whom claimed to have been abused, sexually assaulted and robbed of their possessions.
GARR also recently denounced the fact that even Haitians with work permits in the Dominican Republic are discriminated against, even though they represent 28 percent of the workforce in agriculture and 29 percent in construction.
Despite their considerable contribution, they are continually discriminated against on the basis of their skin color or immigration status. They are forced to work beyond the set hours (5 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time) and are paid far less than they should be, GARR reported.
In this sense, the organization encouraged the Haitian authorities to facilitate the documentation of their nationals to legalize their immigration status.
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