©️photo : The National
Santo Domingo, February 17, 2026.- Since taking office last October, Vice-Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Migration (DGM) of the Dominican Republic, claims to have stepped up migration control operations unprecedentedly. Report announced: more than 525,000 foreigners expelled, the vast majority of Haitian nationals in an irregular migration situation.
According to the newspaper Listin Diario, the official stated that this wave of repatriations is part of a strengthened national strategy to track down and arrest persons without legal status in Dominican territory. He argues that the actions carried out since 1 October are the largest migration control operations ever carried out in the country's history.
An overwhelming majority of Haitians concerned
Although the authorities mention the presence of nationals of other nationalities among the persons deported to the border, the figures indicate that Haitians represent the overwhelming majority of the expelled, continues the newspaper.
For the period from January to February 14, 2026, 53,546 Haitian citizens were repatriated, a total which does not include the arrests carried out on February 15.
These operations are carried out with the support of the Ministry of Defence, the Dominican National Police and other security agencies, in accordance with the General Migration Act 285-04.
This policy of mass deportation takes place in a regional context marked by strong migratory tensions, where the security and economic situation in Haiti continues to fuel cross-border movements.
W.E.
