January 29, 2026
In June 2025, Dominican authorities arrested 15,557 Haitian nationals with irregular immigration status, according to figures published by Listín Diario. These arrests were carried out by the army as part of migration operations near the border.
At the same time, 66 individuals were arrested for their alleged involvement in networks smuggling Haitian migrants. All detainees were handed over to the General Directorate of Immigration for deportation back to Haiti.
This strict migration policy is part of an already well-established trend: in 2024, more than 180,000 Haitians were expelled from Dominican territory. The government in Santo Domingo maintains that these measures are necessary to “control irregular immigration and protect national sovereignty.”
International NGOs, however, denounce these actions as arbitrary and discriminatory against Haitian migrants. They criticize deportations carried out without fair procedures or legal safeguards, in a climate marked by ongoing tensions between the two countries.
