Since October 2024, Dominican President Luis Abinader has launched a policy of mass expulsions of Haitians. Even those who arrived decades ago legally have had their permits revoked and children born of Haitian parents in the Dominican Republic have been stripped of their nationality.
The special immigration police force in the Dominican Republic have a goal of deporting 10,000 Haitians a week. These armed, hooded men break down doors, enter homes, and then cram anyone from Haiti into their prison trucks without mercy. Then it’s straight to the border with no chance of appeal.
Pastor Remy has lived in the Dominican Republic for over 25 years. The day after we spoke to him, he disappeared. He and his wife were picked up while shopping and immediately deported. But, as happens so often, their 10 year old daughter was left behind and now they are desperate to be reunited with her.
Even though the Haitian-Dominican Republic border is officially closed, it has become the epicentre of a large-scale human trafficking operation. We follow Rémy and his wife as they bribe the border guards to get back home.
With the Dominican Republic’s economy dependent on Haitian workers, these new restrictions are encouraging corruption. Construction boss, Francis, even pays the traffickers’ fees to smuggle some of his deported workers back. And, as is so often the case, the same people are repeatedly expelled and return, which creates a distorted impression of the number of Haitians arriving in the Dominican Republic every week.a distorted impression of the number of Haitians arriving in the Dominican Republic every week.