Abel Martínez says there is a “mafia” behind deportations of Haitians in the Dominican Republic

Santiago.- Presidential candidate Abel Martínez questioned the Dominican Republic’s deportation process for undocumented foreigners, alleging that a “mafia” is operating around the procedures and claiming that some migrants are allegedly asked to pay bribes to avoid being deported.

Speaking during meetings with Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) members, community leaders and supporters in Santiago, Martínez said the government must take stronger and more reliable action to enforce immigration laws.

He argued that anyone residing in the country without legal status should be subject to the law, regardless of nationality, and called on authorities to fulfill the measures they have announced to address irregular migration.

Martínez recalled that he previously supported government initiatives aimed at regulating immigration flows. He also warned that the country cannot continue without stronger controls over undocumented migration.

The candidate made the remarks during his “A Coffee with Abel” meetings in the Bella Vista and Yagüita del Pastor sectors of Santiago de los Caballeros, where he met with residents and listened to their concerns.

The Dominican Republic has continued large-scale immigration enforcement operations in 2026. According to the General Directorate of Migration, 250,429 undocumented foreigners had been processed through detention and border-control centers as of August 21, including 186,139 deportations and 64,290 formal repatriations.