Dominican Republic Says It Deported More Than 34,000 Haitians in June as Immigration Crackdown Continues

The Dominican Republic says it deported 34,226 Haitian nationals in June 2026, as the government continues an intensified immigration crackdown affecting Haitians living in the country without legal status.

According to the General Directorate of Migration, known as the DGM, the deportations were carried out with support from the Dominican Armed Forces, National Police and other state security agencies. The official June figure was announced on July 1.

The DGM said immigration operations took place across multiple cities and provinces, with deportation processing involving centers in areas including Dajabón, Haina, Elías Piña, Jimaní, Pedernales and Santiago.

The latest numbers are part of a much larger increase in deportations. According to the DGM’s own figures, 196,321 people were repatriated during the first six months of 2026. The agency also reported that approximately 670,500 people had been repatriated since October 1, 2024, when Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester took leadership of the institution.

The Dominican government has defended the expanded operations as part of a broader effort to strengthen immigration enforcement and address irregular migration. Officials say the operations involve coordination between immigration authorities, police and military institutions.

On June 30 alone, the DGM reported 980 apprehensions and 1,041 deportations, illustrating the pace of the ongoing enforcement campaign. The agency says it continues working with international human-rights organizations to protect dignity during immigration procedures.

But the crackdown comes as Haiti remains trapped in a severe security and humanitarian crisis. Armed violence has displaced large numbers of people, weakened state institutions and made daily life increasingly dangerous in several parts of the country.

Human-rights groups have also raised serious concerns about the Dominican Republic’s intensified deportation policies. Critics have reported allegations of racial profiling, arbitrary detention, family separation and insufficient individual review during immigration operations.

The growing number of deportations continues to place pressure on relations between Dominican Republic and Haiti, the two nations that share the island of Hispaniola. It also raises difficult questions about migration enforcement at a time when many Haitians are fleeing violence, economic hardship and instability.

The DGM has indicated that immigration operations will continue as Dominican authorities maintain tighter controls across the country and along the border.