Haitian activists are calling for an immediate halt on deportations to Haiti, highlighting the country’s dire situation as gang violence and poverty continue to escalate. Over the past month, tens of thousands of people have been deported to Haiti, primarily from the Dominican Republic, where President Luis Abinader has intensified his pledge to expel up to 10,000 Haitian migrants weekly.
According to official data, the Dominican Republic deported nearly 61,000 migrants in the past month alone. Meanwhile, the U.S. has deported 258 Haitians in October, with Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, and the Bahamas expelling a combined 231, according to Sam Guillaume, spokesperson for Haiti’s Support Group for Returnees and Refugees.
Returning deportees face immense hardship. Many are homeless or stranded at the border, desperate to cross back into the Dominican Republic. With gang control now extending over 85% of Port-au-Prince, deportees are often left to navigate dangerous territories. These individuals are joining over 700,000 others who have been displaced by gang violence in recent years, amplifying the crisis within Haiti.
In addition, reports of inhumane conditions in Dominican detention centers are raising alarms. Guillaume reports that detained migrants are held in overcrowded jails with inadequate food, water, and sleeping arrangements; some detainees have been tear-gassed for asserting their rights. He also noted that even humanitarian groups assisting Haitians are under threat. Haitians are sometimes at risk from smugglers, who kidnap and demand up to $300 for their release.
The appeal for a deportation pause comes as the global community watches U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s forthcoming mass deportation policies, which could exacerbate challenges for Haitian refugees and migrants. Haitian advocacy groups, including the New York-based Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, warn that the path forward could be increasingly difficult for those already in vulnerable positions.
This call to action emphasizes the urgency of addressing Haiti’s humanitarian crisis as it faces one of its most volatile periods.
Source: AP News
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