BY NAN STAFF WRITER
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 21, 2022: The U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic is warning dark skinned Americans about travel to the Dominican Republic.
The Embassy in a statement said that U.S. citizens that in recent months travelers to the Dominican Republic have reported being delayed, detained, or subject to heightened questioning at ports of entry and in other encounters with immigration officials based on their skin color.
“Reports of disparate treatment of U.S. citizens by Dominican authorities are a matter of ongoing concern to the U.S. Embassy,” the statement added.
The release comes as Dominican Migration (DGM) agents have been conducting widespread operations aimed at detaining those they believe to be undocumented migrants, especially persons of Haitian descent.
In some cases, the Embassy said authorities have not respected the individuals’ legal status in the Dominican Republic or nationality.
“These actions may lead to increased interaction with Dominican authorities, especially for darker skinned U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens of African descent,” the statement added.
Americans can report any such incidents immediately to the Embassy emergency number (809) 567-7775 and to the Defensor del Pueblo at (809) 381-7777.
The Embassy advises U.S. citizens to:
Carry your passport with you.
Carry a charged cell phone and notify the Embassy immediately if you need assistance.
The US also noted that there are reports that detainees are kept in overcrowded detention centers, without the ability to challenge their detention, and without access to food or restroom facilities, sometimes for days at a time, before being released or deported to neighboring Haiti, where gangs are waging a war on Haitians, including those in poorer areas.
