The Dominican Republic says it has arrested greater than 130 Haitian ladies and youngsters on the primary day of a crackdown of undocumented migrants in Santo Domingo’s hospitals.
Lots of the ladies arrested on Monday had been pregnant and others had just lately given delivery.
The crackdown is a part of the federal government’s plan introduced final 12 months to deport as much as 10,000 undocumented migrants per week to stem migration from neighbouring Haiti.
President Luis Abinader’s authorities, nevertheless, has been criticised for its harsh remedy of Haitian migrants as many are fleeing excessive gang violence and poverty within the capital Port-au-Prince.
The immigration division mentioned the ladies had been “supplied dignified remedy” after being taken to a detention centre the place their biometric knowledge and fingerprints had been recorded.
A Haitian girl who had accompanied her pregnant pal to the hospital mentioned the federal government’s actions will trigger uncertainty for pregnant ladies in want of care.
“If a lady gave delivery immediately, they cannot take her immediately, as a result of they do not know what is going to occur. And if she has a C-section, they do not know what’s going to occur both, as a result of there may be by no means a health care provider along with her to help if one thing occurs on the street, with the newborn or along with her,” she mentioned.
Authorities mentioned the ladies will obtain medical remedy and any undocumented moms will likely be repatriated.
Many Haitians have been crossing the shared border with the Dominican Republic to flee escalating violence and starvation, typically in a number of truckloads per day.
To clamp down these numbers, the Dominican Republic has deported greater than 80,000 individuals to Haiti within the first three months of this 12 months, in line with AFP information company.
President Abinader’s authorities has beforehand voiced its frustration on the worldwide group’s failure to revive stability to Haiti.
