Refugees Turned Away From the DR

April 7th, 2025

Boyana Nikolova

In the past month, Haiti has transformed into a bloodbath. Gangs control 85% of the country, without even the capital being spared. But with violence having surged, the situation is breaking apart communities, forcing Haitians into poverty, and increasing the number of refugees desperate enough to flee. Unfortunately, for the refugees heading towards the neighboring Dominican Republic, their attempt to flee may end up being futile.

Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic, has acknowledged the rise of Haitian migrants and is unleashing more than a dozen policies to crack down on them. According to Abinader, migrants have overwhelmed the country’s public services and lowered the quality of life for Dominican citizens. His claims aren’t entirely without merit. Hospitals, schools, and businesses are indeed dealing with more people than ever before. Currently, there are nearly half a million Haitian migrants with more than 80,000 of them being new students coming to study in 2025. These already worrying numbers are rising, though, as now, Haiti has been nearly completely overrun by gangs.

For President Abinader and other Dominicans, the coming crackdown will be seen as vital. Some measures include having migrants pay for their own hospital bills and sanctioning those providing work to undocumented migrants. Additionally, undocumented migrants will continue being deported in greater numbers than before. The Dominican Republic claims to have deported 180,000 migrants lacking proper documentation since October, deporting around 10,000 per week.

While the government has described its actions as “painful but necessary,” human rights organizations have called them out for being brash and borderline illegal. For example, many advocates have accused the government of entering the homes of suspected undocumented migrants without obtaining the needed warrants. Beyond this, the migrants are worried for far worse. If taken back to Haiti, they would be returning to a violence-torn country in the midst of a crisis. Thus, although Abinader’s plan stems from concern for the Dominican Republic’s security, legislators and advocates have criticized it for being an unethical, extreme solution.

Going forward, it may become even more difficult for desperate Haitians to escape the violence at home. For most refugees, the Dominican Republic used to be their nearest and most feasible destination. Without it as an option anymore, more may consider making the perilous journey through the Caribbean instead. If even that isn’t possible, Haitians will have no choice but to stay, trapped, inside their country.