Dominican official says Haitian repatriations start in 48 hours

Santo Domingo.- Immigration Agency director Sigfrido Pared said Monday that his department will respond firmly to the entry of illegal Haitians into Dominican Republic after January 6.

As to the undocumented Haitians who live in Santiago, the official said the Interior and Police Ministry, the Office of the Prosecutor of Santiago, Jesuits Groups and Immigration officials participated a meeting on December 31, to prevent conflicts with them.

Pared said Immigration will proceed with the repatriation of Haitians who reside illegally in Dominican territory after January 6. “We are going to wait for January 6 to conclude, which is the date on which the authorities were committed to get the Police to intervene in the matter, proceeding to remove those people who reside illegally in diverse sectors of Santiago.”

He said those Haitians have become a serious threat to the peace and livelihood of the families reside in diverse barrios of Santiago, the country’s second biggest city.

Sectors of civil society, including the Catholic Church, have voiced their concern with the large number undocumented Haitians who live illegally in Santiago, Santo Domingo and other cities across the country.