Lee Ballester oversees operations base in Friusa

Friusa.- Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director General of Immigration, visited a Ministry of Defense operations base to oversee interdiction efforts aimed at curbing illegal immigration. During his visit to the Hoyo de Friusa and Mata Mosquito sectors, immigration agents detained 147 Haitian nationals without legal documentation. This brought the total number of undocumented migrants detained in the area over the past 13 days to 2,474.

Lee Ballester reaffirmed the Directorate General of Immigration’s (DGM) commitment to enforcing immigration laws in line with President Luis Abinader’s 15-point plan announced on April 6. The plan seeks to address illegal immigration and strengthen national security.

The DGM’s recent nationwide operations led to the detention of 876 undocumented Haitian nationals: 225 in Greater Santo Domingo, 147 in the eastern region, and others across La Vega, Barahona, Santiago, Montecristi, and Puerto Plata. Additionally, 291 were detained by the Dominican Army, 108 by Cesfront, and 7 by the National Police. On the same day, 341 Haitians were deported—169 via Dajabón, 130 through Elías Piña, and 42 through Pedernales.