On the avenue that leads to the door border of Dajabónthere is an agent from the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) who wants to keep his identity. “Since the order of the director of Migration that they had to deport 10,000 a week, there is less flow of people in the market“explains the member of the intelligence corps Dominican.
At the same time, he relates that “the entire day they see trucks of migration. “Every hour or 30 minutes one or two come.”
Migration reported that in the first 15 days of November it deported more than 15,500 foreigners. Since October 1, when the mass repatriation plan began, there have been 55,723 deportees.
The door border
Unlike a few months ago, the door border it’s better organized. In April, Free Diary He narrated the situation in this way:
“Between shouts and pushes a few meters from the border limit, a military Haitian He takes out a whip and begins to disperse the crowd of people. One lash, two, three. The haitians They form two specific rows and the military returns to its position. Men stand on the left and women stand on the right.
Now, as of November 2024, everything is different. The door border is more organized. Those who enter next Dominicanas soon as they cross they deviate to the right, where they are separated from the main avenue and biometrically analyzed. Those who return to Haitifor their part, do it from the opposite side. The center lane is reserved for vehicles and forklifts, all of them reviewed by the Specialized Land Border Security Corps (Cesfront).
It’s Monday in the market of Dajabónthat means that the area border It is boiling. Thousands of haitians they cross the border to market on the side Dominican.
On the main avenue, one of the first things you see is a military of C-2 with a device in his hands. The trucksloaded to the brim with all kinds of utensils, stop. He militarywhich protects its identity before Free Diaryputs the small device into operation.
“With this scanner We detected knives, firearms… cigarettes, alcoholic beverages have been found…”, explains the agent.
The truck you are checking is going to the side Dominican. After a while, the test passes. However, many others over the weeks were seized.
“We’ve been using it for about three or four months. We still haven’t found any weapons,” he says. Perhaps it is because of this innovation that so many shipments of cigarettes have been seized in recent months. He scanner makes one border safer and fights face to face with smuggling.
“One comes to look for life“
Inside the market of Dajabónwhere the hallways are narrow and full of shouting, pushing, wheelbarrows, clothes, food and endless smells and people. Emilio Valdés is leaning against a wall, he has parents haitiansbut he was born in the Dominican Republic and lost his papers. That’s what he assures.
His Spanish is almost perfect, which is why he works as a translator for merchants. “In our country there are no resources, one comes to look for life“, he says. His story is one of survival. He does not attend the market for pleasure. Somehow, the side Haitian need next Dominican to survive.
Regarding the immigration policy of the Government Dominicansays that there are “massive deportations. Right now we are all illegal in this country.”
Valdés would like the haitians willing to work, they could ask for some papers.
“At least give us a card so we can be workers,” concludes the “chiripero” of the border,
Santiago of the Crossproblem solved
In Dajabón There is a small town called Santiago of the Cross. Generally, its inhabitants are dedicated to agriculture, livestock and business in the border. A few weeks ago, the municipal director gave an ultimatum to the haitians without documentation. They had five days to leave the place and return to their country.
Director Walfri Labul said that “there are very few cases that remain unsolved, approximately less than 5%.”
Santiago of the Cross It is a quiet place. In one of his homes, in a small garden, Roger Gómez rests in a wooden chair. He explains that, unlike what was mentioned, the march of the haitians of the town does not affect agriculture. “I was born and raised here and I didn’t know haitians. The haitians that were here have been replaced by Dominicans, it is not that the Dominican don’t want to work,” he concludes.
Last of the border
To the duskthe door border It is emptying little by little. What during the day was a parade of merchandise, cars, engines, forklifts and thousands of people in a hurry; Now it is calm and silence.
Some military of the Cesfront They lean on one of the doors. There are three of them and they share a conversation in a pleasant atmosphere. Unlike the hours of the day, the night comes with a cool breeze.
In the midst of that silence, sometimes interrupted by a conversation or a distant car, the last of the group begin to arrive. border. “The doors close at ten,” says one of the military.
In the distance, an engine approaches. It is a women and he goes in a hurry. He stops in front of the agents.
Then, his passenger, whose face was probably Haitiandismounts and returns to his country.
After a few minutes, he appears with another passenger and then another.
Later, at 10:00 pm, those military They close the doors under a cool breeze.
Nothing happens anymore Haitian further. The day is over market.
The Dominican Republic has deported 55,723 Haitians with irregular immigration status since October 1, the month in which the massive repatriation process began, until November 15, reported the General Directorate of Migration (DGM).
The DGM highlighted the “successes” achieved in the efforts to persecute human trafficking networks that have turned this activity into a lucrative business.
The agency indicated that in that period of time, several people have been arrested, the amount of which was not specified, when they were transporting foreigners in an irregular condition in Dominican territory and the courts have issued preventive measures against thirty of them.
“The Immigration authorities and the units that support the deportation process of citizens in irregular conditions are always acting respecting the integrity of the detainees,” he assured.
