At least 145,000 Haitian migrants, like those seen here at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021, were among more than 200,000 undocumented migrants who have left the Dominican Republic so far in 2025. Photo by Ariana Drehsler/UPI | License Photo
May 30 (UPI) -- More than 200,000 undocumented migrants have left the Dominican Republic this year, including at least 145,000 Haitians deported by immigration authorities.
The figure marks a 70% increase from the same period last year and is part of a plan by President Luis Abinader and the National Security and Defense Council to reduce the number of undocumented migrants in the country.
The Dominican Republic's General Directorate of Migration has stepped up immigration operations and deportations of Haitians since October 2024, when a new immigration law took effect.
International organizations have raised concerns about the impact deportations have had on the Haitian community in the Dominican Republic. Many people now live in fear of being detained and expelled, which has limited their access to basic services such as healthcare and education.
