Dominican president defends policy on Haiti

Dominican President Luis Abinader defended his policy on Haiti, the target of criticism for the more than 170,000 deportations and the construction of a dividing fence on the border between the two countries.

"Never before has any government done so much to protect the integrity of the Dominican Republic along its border, nor has it shown so much firmness in our immigration policy, in line with human rights, but without hesitation when it comes to its application" , said the president in his annual message to Parliament.

Since he came to power in 2020, Abinader has toughened immigration policy on Haiti, a country with which the Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola and a long relationship seasoned with rancour and mistrust.

The president presented as a "strategic objective" the construction of this fence along the 380 kilometers of border they share.

Abinader pointed out that last year "171,000 deportations were carried out compared to the 85,000 carried out in 2021, which represents an increase of 102%."

"In 2019 deportations were 67,400, and to put the data in perspective, in 2011, 8,636," he added.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, questioned on February 10 the mass deportation of Haitian migrants, as well as the "humiliating" treatment that many receive.