What’s next in the immigration restrictions for Haitians in the Dominican Republic?

MEXICO CITY –

After the Dominican president Luis Abinader was easily re-elected for a second term this weekend, promised in a speech that the best is yet to come.

But while one of the most popular rulers in the region spoke of economic prosperity and reforms to the Constitution, it was notable that he did not mention one thing: The crisis in neighboring Haiti.

The Dominican Republic has long taken a firm stance toward Haitian migrants, but its aggressive enforcement measures have increased in recent years as the spiral of violence in Haiti forces the population to flee.

Analysts such as Michael Shifter, a member of the Inter-American Dialogue—a research center based in the United States—say that Abinader has used the crisis as a political tool to “take advantage of the population’s fears.”

“The overwhelming majority of Dominicans believe that Abinader has done a good job… They are not willing to take a chance on someone else,” Shifter said. “His strict and nationalistic stance towards Haiti, although it is not the only reason why he won, has increased and strengthened the political support he has.”

Now, as Haiti’s transitional government attempts to restore order and Abinader begins another four years in power, the question remains the same: What will happen now to both neighbors? Some people hope that Abinader will soften his position.

The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, a country that has engulfed in chaos and gang violence since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021. Abinader’s government has built a wall along its 400 kilometers (250 miles) border with Haiti and in the last year alone has deported at least 175,000 Haitians fleeing the crisis, including unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable people.

The restrictions have sparked accusations from human rights groups, which claim that Abinader’s policies are racist and violate international law. They estimate that there are 130,000 people of Haitian origin who remain without legal status in the country, without access to basic citizenship rights due to Dominican birthright citizenship laws.

When the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, asked Abinader to suspend the deportations due to the high rates of violence and sexual abuse against civilians in Haiti, the Dominican president refused.

“Our slogan, from today on, will be: Either we fight together to save Haiti or we will fight alone to protect the Dominican Republic!” Abinader said in February.

For his next four years in office, Abinader has promised to complete the work on the border wall, shore up the economy and end the corruption that has plagued the Caribbean nation for so long.

Rafaela Tejeda, a 67-year-old retired accountant who lives in the border town of Dajabón, told The Associated Press who voted for Abinader because he wanted him to continue with his hardline policies.

“For me, this issue is A1. Presidents must take it into account, because if not we will soon be left without a country,” he stressed.

But now that the elections are behind us, Shifter noted that the absence of a mention of Haiti in his victory speech could be a sign that Abinader will use “less aggressive” rhetoric toward Haitians.

Haiti is going through a political transition. After what Prime Minister Ariel Henry was forced to resign a few months ago amid a drastic increase in violence from criminal groups and intense international pressure, a group of people is fighting for the opportunity to govern the country. Haiti is also waiting the imminent arrival of a Kenyan police force as part of a UN-backed deployment to combat the gangs suffocating the capital Port-au-Prince.

Although the transition has been chaotic, a political change in Haiti could open the door to dialogue with the Dominican Republic, one of the objectives of the international community.

“I think the temperature will drop a little bit,” Shifter said. “If Haiti stabilizes a little bit, I can imagine there would be talks to try to find a way to work together… There would be an incentive for Abinader to do that in order to get the blessing of the international community and the United States.”

Despite international pressure, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller congratulated Abinader on his victory on Monday, noting that he plans to “address shared challenges, including climate change and security.”

However, US President Joe Biden did not address the issue of Haitian migration and Shifter expressed doubt that Abinader would abandon his firm stance to control migration. And many more people have their reservations that the Dominican president is more moderate.

William Charpantier Blanco, coordinator of the National Roundtable for Migration and Refugees in the capital Santo Domingo, noted that his organization has recorded an increase in the last six months in “hate speech” against Haitians while the main candidates for the presidency They “agreed” on their position on immigration matters.

Authorities have deported Haitians who have documents to legally remain in the Dominican Republic or who have attempted to renew their visas.

“With Abinader’s re-election, we don’t see any hope,” Blanco said. “The fear is that everything will remain the same, that migrants will not be able to go out on the streets, they will not be able to work. Many have had to cross the border to live here, not because they are in paradise here, but because Haiti offers them absolutely nothing. Here at least there is peace.”

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.