They categorize AI’s call to stop deportations in the DR as a “rude intrusion.”

Santo Domingo. – Various figures from the political, legal, and nationalist spheres rejected this Wednesday the most recent request from Amnesty International, which urged the Dominican Republic to halt the deportations of Haitian citizens and to prioritize human rights in its migration policy. The international organization expressed its concern about alleged human rights violations in detention and repatriation operations, reiterating that the Dominican State must “guarantee the dignified treatment of all people, regardless of their migratory status.” However, this request was described as a “rude intrusion” by local authorities. Jhanel Ferreras, politician and diplomat, defended the current migration policy, claiming that the nation “cannot ignore history or context.” “There’s no room for another Haitian here. We are reaching a point where the existence of the Dominican people is being threatened. Even in schools, Dominican children are losing their spaces due to the saturation of Haitian nationals,” he declared. In the same vein, the president of the Dominican Republic Bar Association (CARD), Trajano Vidal Potentini, pointed out that the migration issue “is part of the internal jurisdiction and self-determination of the State.” He highlighted that the Government of President Luis Abinader has made significant efforts to manage the situation in an orderly manner and in accordance with the law. “We reject that unacceptable interference from Amnesty International. No one has the right to interfere in a matter that is inherent to our national sovereignty,” Potentini stated.

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For his part, Wilson Gómez Ramírez, president of the Instituto Duartiano, accused the organization of acting with “audacity and misinformation.” “Amnesty is not interested in the serious violations that occur in Haiti, but comes to blackmail and pressure the Dominican Republic. Fundamental rights are not violated here. On the contrary, Haitians receive preferential treatment compared to other foreigners,” he affirmed. Both Gómez, Ferreras, and Potentini agreed in supporting the Dominican government’s firmness against international pressures, and reiterated the call to continue with the application of migration laws as a legitimate expression of national sovereignty.