Enrique García the Director General of Migration (DGM) declared during an interview broadcast on Telesistema Canal 11 on October 10, "the presence of undocumented Haitians [in an irregular migratory situation] in the Dominican Republic must be regularized and prevent their illegal entry, because we cannot lose our country."

Enrique García ordered agricultural entrepreneurs or all sectors that use the labor of irregular migrants to regularize their situation, because once the 90-day deadline granted by the National Migration Council has expired, they will be repatriated to Haiti.

To illustrate the worrying degree of the situation, he explained that today 10% of crimes committed on Dominican territory are perpetrated by Haitian immigrants.

He ensures that at the rate things are going with Haitians who participate in criminal activities, the country will not only be invaded peacefully, but there will be a sharp rise in crime.

"What you have left when you have a neighbor you can no longer bear is to protect your house, your belongings and your family, and that is what President Luis Abinader has planned to do with the border project," explaining that this project is not a simple fence, or a wall, it is a border protection project.

He said the Haitian problem must be tackled at different points, including guarding the border, saying nothing is being done with Migration which repatriates Haitians in a regular situation and who re-enter. "To eradicate the problem 100% we are not going to reach that percentage, but if we eliminate it to 60 or 70%, we are already winning."

He also raised the case of those who employ illegals, rent them a house or transport them in vehicles, and who claim to be in the law which is false.

Enrique García acknowledged that at present the number of Haitians in the Dominican Republic is unknown, recalling that 6 or 7 years ago a census was carried out which indicated the number of 500,000, "but it is below reality".

He acknowledged that "there are places like Hoyo de Friusa in Bávaro, which are totally Haitian communities informing that a massive repatriation operation is in preparation with the army and the police because migration cannot enter alone, or with five or six policemen or guards.

Enrique García reiterated his desire to strengthen controls and increase the expulsions of all foreigners who are not regularized in Dominican territory.

SL/ HaitiLibre