Dominican Republic to receive 30 U.S.-deported migrants per month

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic will receive approximately 30 third-country migrants deported from the United States each month under a one-year memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries, Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez announced on Wednesday.

Álvarez explained that the migrants, excluding Haitian nationals and unaccompanied minors, will remain in the country for between seven and 15 days while arrangements are made for their return to their countries of origin. The United States will cover all related expenses, and the International Organization for Migration (International Organization for Migration) will assist Dominican authorities in managing the process. The government has not yet determined where the deportees will be housed, but officials said they will remain under constant supervision.

The foreign minister stressed that the agreement is non-binding and does not compromise Dominican sovereignty. He rejected claims that the country was pressured by Washington, noting that similar accords have been signed by nations such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, and Paraguay. Álvarez emphasized that the arrangement is a temporary transit mechanism and does not involve permanent settlement or legal immigration proceedings in the Dominican Republic.