Dominican Republic deports 1,300+ undocumented Haitians in nationwide raids

The Dominican Republic’s General Directorate of Migration reported that 1,798 undocumented Haitians were apprehended in coordinated operations across the country, resulting in 1,360 ground deportations to Haiti. The raids involved the army, police and rapid‑reaction agents and covered provinces from the south‑west (Pedernales, El Yas Piña, Independencia) to the capital region and the northern and eastern areas.

In separate border patrols in Dajabón and Valverde, the Dominican Army captured 82 Haitians in irregular status, including women, men and a minor, before turning them over to migration authorities.

Director of Migration Vice‑Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester said that since October 2024 the agency has deported a record 670,500 irregular migrants, with 196,321 deported in the first half of 2026 alone. The increase follows 6,535 nationwide operations, an average of about 1,000 interdictions per day, and a rise in deployed migration agents from 200 to 1,935.

The government maintains that all actions comply with the Dominican Constitution and the General Migration Law, while emphasizing ongoing efforts to counter migrant‑smuggling networks.