They are transported in new, comfortable and safe buses.
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Director General of Immigration, Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, ARD, visited the Haina Detention Center for Undocumented Immigrants today to oversee the repatriation procedures for Haitian women in labor, ensure the proper application of the rules governing the process, and ensure humane treatment of each person transported.
As a result of the implementation of the new immigration verification protocol in the country’s main public hospitals, 48 pregnant women and 39 pregnant women, accompanied by 48 minors, were apprehended on the first day. They were taken to the Haina center where their biometric data and fingerprints were taken and they were offered dignified treatment, including the delivery of groceries.
These repatriations of undocumented mothers are carried out based on a protocol with the National Health Insurance authorities. After the medical examination is completed, they are discharged from the various hospitals and confirmed to be free of health risks. The immigration process then begins, ensuring compliance with the national and international legal provisions that apply to all human beings living in the country.
The head of the DGM personally reviewed the conditions of the procedure and evaluated them on a case-by-case basis, with the aim of offering appropriate solutions based on the specifics of each situation.
“Direct oversight is essential to ensure that protocols are followed with due respect for human rights, within the framework of a firm but fair immigration policy,” he said.
The repatriated women were taken aboard buses, incorporated for the first time into the DGM fleet, equipped with special amenities to transport them safely to the Elías Piña binational gate, where they were received by authorities from the neighboring nation.
These buses feature padded seats, seat belts, air conditioning systems, curtains, interior surveillance cameras, a bathroom, and luggage areas.
Communications Directorate
