Haitian Studies Association

General Interest, Other General Interest

New Brief–Racial Profiling & Mass Deportations in the Dominican Republic

Nuevo informe: Perfilamiento Racial y Deportaciones Masivas en la República Dominicana

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Note: The following is a message from Gabrielle Apollon, Director of the Haitian Immigrant Rights Project, & Coordinator of the Hemispheric Network for Haitian Migrants’ Rights at Global Justice Clinic, NYU School of Law. We are sharing the message as a courtesy.

Hi all,

I write to share the Global Justice Clinic’s brief, “Racial Profiling & Mass Deportations: Rights Abuses of People of Haitian Descent in the Dominican Republic,” in English and Spanish. GJC authored the brief in consultation with several Dominican and Haitian organizations that advocate for the rights of people of Haitian descent. The brief sheds light on the increased human rights violations that Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic face since the Dominican government announced a new deportation policy in October of 2024 that aimed to deport up to 10,000 people per week. Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent are living in terror. Instances of arbitrary detention & collective expulsions, family separation, and violence and inhumane treatment are increasing, and racial profiling is widespread. The brief highlights the policy’s significant impact on vulnerable groups, particularly children, pregnant and nursing women, and human rights defenders.

Since our team concluded research, the human rights situation in the Dominican Republic has worsened. On April 6th, Dominican President Abinader announced 15 new immigration measures, which have led to a targeting of pregnant and postpartum women as well as their babies for detention and deportation. Since late April, the Dominican Republic has deported more than 900 pregnant and nursing women to Haiti. One woman died in childbirth, having decided not to seek care due to the risk of deportation. The fact that the Dominican government is deporting unaccompanied infants and new mothers, some of whom have been separated from their babies, reflects an absence of international outrage and condemnation. Although the recommendations at the end of the brief primarily target Dominican authorities, all governments in the region, international institutions, and civil society organizations must call for the Dominican government to respect human rights. Further, international actors and allies must support efforts to transform conditions in Haiti that fuel out-migration, and must work to identify safe refuge for Haitian migrants. We hope that this brief provides facts and context to support and encourage strategic advocacy.

The English and Spanish versions of the report are attached. Please share these documents broadly.

To learn more about the GJC and Hemispheric Network advocacy on this issue, please view the following:

About Us:

The Haitian Immigrant Rights Project (“HIRP”) is part of the Global Justice Clinic at NYU School of Law.  HIRP coordinates the Hemispheric Network for Haitian Migrants’ Rights, a transnational coalition of Haitian migrant rights’ leaders and Haitian-led organizations based in 14 countries throughout the Western Hemisphere. A number of the Dominican and Haitian organizations that GJC worked with to produce this brief are Network members.