Last weekend, the "Cuerpo Especializado en Seguridad Fronteriza Terrestre" (CESFRONT) of the Dominican Republic, has arrested about 200 undocumented Haitians, including entire families, who entered in the country illegally through the border at Dajabon, mistakenly believing, to qualify for the National Plan of Regularization of Foreigners (PNRE), established by the Dominican authorities.

Immigrants were intercepted in the communities of La Vigía, Cañongo, Don Miguel, La Mara, El Abanico, Clavellina, Cayuco and other border crossings points in the province of Dajabón.

Furthermore, the military authorities prevented a bus registered in Haiti, to transport in Santiago two Haitian families carrying bedding, cooking utensils and furniture...

Some immigrants, men, women and children said they paid between two and four thousand pesos (± 50 to 100 US dollars) to be transported to Mao, Santiago and Puerto Plata, thinking enjoy the facilities the regularization offered by the government for foreigners residing in the Dominican Republic illegally.

Military authorities indicated that many migrants were married couples who decided to emigrate on Dominican soil with their children and other parents.

Mariluz Jean, Dolio Melius, Mariot Dorcevil, three immigrants detained and returned to Haiti, said they had never seen so much interest of heir countrymen to establish residency in the Dominican Republic. Mariluz Jean said that in his case, he had never thought to migrate to the country, but the deteriorating social and economic situation and insecurity drove him to do it and many of his countrymen living in his native village of Trou-du-Nord and other localities, prepare to enter the Dominican Republic in large numbers...

The civil and military authorities of Dajabón, led by the Governor Ramona Rodríguez Quezada, analyzed the situation and agreed on more effective measures to protect the border.

Hundreds of Haitians continue to flow towards the centers of the National Plan of Regularization of Foreigners in the provinces of Santiago, Valverde and Dajabon. However, most complain of difficulties in obtaining identification documents necessary because of the slowness of the Haitian authorities to provide them with identity cards and birth certificates.

It is good to remind our fellow citizens not to believe rumors and that the fact of having an identification document, only allows to enroll in PNRE. This inscription is no assurance of regularization.

It is good to remember that the PNRE applies only foreigners (all countries), living illegally in the Dominican Republic BEFORE the Constitutional Tribunal judgment 168-13 (TC) [sept.2013] and these foreigners, will not only have to prove that he resided in the Dominican Republic well before that date, but also meet several other criteria, to which most Haitians in irregular situations, are unable to meet. In summary, all Haitians that do not meet these criteria are not eligible for regularization and their attempts to come to the Dominican Republic is doomed to failure.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12288-haiti-social-over-100-haitians-deported-every-day-at-the-border.html

SL/ HaitiLibre