Migration responds to reports of agents charging foreigners

The Dominican Republic's General Directorate of Migration (DGM) has asserted a "zero tolerance" policy for corruption within its ranks, following allegations from Haitian citizens. These individuals claim that migration agents extorted money from them to secure their freedom during interdiction operations.

Migration authorities stated that all received complaints are under investigation. They assured that any personnel found responsible would face severe sanctions, including dismissal and referral to prosecution bodies, depending on the offense.

These statements address testimonies collected by Diario Libre, detailing a pattern where some Haitians allegedly paid sums to avoid detention. One complainant, a security guard in Santo Domingo Oeste, reported that agents entered his home, beat him, and took $700 to avoid his arrest. Another case involved a Haitian woman working in a family home who was allegedly asked for 15,000 pesos by an agent to continue her journey; her employers facilitated the payment via a third-party bank transfer.

While acknowledging the government's right to implement immigration policies, some complainants criticized the agents' conduct as abusive. They also noted that deportation efforts seem to disproportionately target Haitians, while foreigners of other nationalities without documentation are allegedly not repatriated.