600 Haitians return home amid migration crackdown

Over 600 Haitian nationals have voluntarily returned to Haiti via the Ouanaminthe border crossing in the past 48 hours, according to Dominican media reports citing sources close to the General Directorate of Migration (DGM).

The returns come amid a tightening of immigration controls in the Dominican Republic. Since early April, Dominican authorities have stepped up patrols in both urban and rural areas, particularly in neighborhoods with large Haitian populations. Operations have been reported in Santiago, Dajabón, La Vega, and Santo Domingo.

Fearing arrest or forced deportation, many migrants have chosen to leave the country on their own. “The pressure became unbearable. We felt hunted,” said a young man from Hinche, who arrived in Ouanaminthe with his partner and their child.

Upon arrival in Haiti, the returnees receive no official support. Despite the country’s ongoing social, economic, and security crises, Haitian authorities appear to have made no special provisions to welcome or assist them.