Government launches nationwide immigration screenings in public hospitals

Santo Domingo.- Starting this Monday, an immigration verification protocol will be implemented in 33 public hospitals across the Dominican Republic as part of President Luis Abinader’s strategy to address irregular Haitian immigration. The General Directorate of Immigration (DGM) stated that the measure aims to regulate care for foreign patients, enforce immigration laws, and protect the sustainability of the public healthcare system.

Under this protocol, immigration inspectors will check patients’ legal documentation, including valid ID, proof of residence, work letters, and ability to pay for services. Patients who lack these documents will still receive medical care, but once recovered, will be repatriated. This follows President Abinader’s recent address urging undocumented Haitians to leave voluntarily or face deportation.

Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director of the DGM, emphasized that the policy will be carried out with respect for due process and human rights, especially in sensitive cases such as children, pregnant women, and critical patients. In preparation, the DGM and National Health Service (SNS) conducted training with hospital staff to coordinate implementation. Since the president’s mass deportation order in October 2024, over 180,000 Haitians have been deported despite international concern over conditions in Haiti.