By MEGAN JANETSKY From Caribbean Life
HAVANA (AP) — The Dominican Republic said it “profusely rejects” criticism of its crackdown on Haitian migrants from a growing number of countries and human rights agencies.
Dominican authorities have ramped up border enforcement and deportations of Haitians, saying such actions are crucial to national security amid intensifying turmoil in the neighboring country due to a gang blockade of fuel supplies and a cholera outbreak.
Authorities say they deported 43,900 migrants, largely Haitians, between July and October. In September and October alone, deportation figures shot up by about 50%.
The government’s actions have sparked heavy criticism in recent weeks from Haiti, the U.N. human rights chief and the United States.
On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Santo Domingo sent out a warning saying Dominican migration authorities “have carried out widespread operations” to detain largely Haitian migrants who they believe are in the country illegally.
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