Dominican immigration authorities have detained 87 pregnant or postpartum Haitian women and 48 children in coordinated hospital raids this week, intensifying a crackdown on undocumented migrants that has drawn widespread condemnation. The operations targeted maternity wards and emergency rooms in Santo Domingo, where officials conducted identity checks and detained women lacking legal status. Among those detained were women in active labor, who were transferred to the Haina Immigration Processing Center for biometric registration and medical evaluations before deportation.
The raids form part of President Luis Abinader’s “zero tolerance” policy, which has resulted in over 80,000 Haitian deportations since January 2025. Authorities aim to expel 10,000 migrants weekly, citing strain on public resources and hospitals. “Our healthcare system cannot sustain this crisis,” said Immigration Director Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, who defended the measures as lawful and necessary.
Critics warn the policy is fueling a humanitarian disaster. Fear of detention has driven pregnant Haitian women to avoid hospitals, increasing risks of childbirth complications and infant mortality. The United Nations and human rights groups condemn the raids as violations of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to life-threatening conditions.
The crackdown exacerbates tensions between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which share the island of Hispaniola. Haiti’s collapse into gang-dominated chaos since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse has displaced over 200,000 people, many fleeing to the Dominican Republic for safety and medical care. The Abinader administration has responded by extending a border wall and deploying troops to block crossings.
International bodies, including CARICOM and Amnesty International, have urged the Dominican government to halt deportations of vulnerable groups. The U.S. State Department expressed concern over “disproportionate enforcement” affecting pregnant women and children. Advocates warn the policy could destabilize the region further, pushing migrants toward riskier routes.