Santo Domingo.- Former President Hipólito Mejía voiced his opposition to the mass deportations of undocumented Haitians by the Dominican government, which has led to over 40,000 deportations and aims to repatriate up to 10,000 migrants weekly. Mejía recalled past policies under President Joaquín Balaguer, who implemented permit systems for Haitian laborers in the sugar industry, suggesting a similar approach could be beneficial. Highlighting the importance of Haitian labor to sectors like agriculture and construction, Mejía stressed that while the Dominican Republic cannot bear the burden of Haiti’s issues, international players like the U.S., France, and Canada should share responsibility.
Despite his call for a less confrontational approach, Mejía affirmed that immigration policy is a sovereign Dominican right. The Dominican government also recently refuted claims of decreased deportations, following statements by Haitian Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy.