SANTIAGO. – Almost 1,000 Haitian citizens have been repatriated to their country  after being detained during sweeps in the last eight days in different parts of this north-cebntral city.

The Immigration authorities in the north zone said that the sweeps have taken place in districts and villages, as well as in the towns Villa González and Navarrete. Last week, 350 undocumented Haitians were detained and later repatriated after operations conducted in different districts of Santiago.

Since Monday, Immigration inspectors helped by Army soldiers detained around 600 Haitians, who were deported to their country in various operations, it said.

A north region Immigration official who asked not to use his name said human rights activists supervise the sweeps, with members of the media present, as a "clear example" the immigrants’ human rights are respected.

He said the operations are being conducted after complaints from neighborhood boards and community and barrio organizations, expressnig concern for the massive presence of undocumented Haitians in their communities. The Haitians are being placed on buses and transferred to the border crossing at Dajabón for repatriation.

Many of the undocumented immigrants said repatriation won’t stop them from trying to return to this country, because of the precarious situation in Haiti, including lack of jobs, the economic crisis, crime and violence.

Many of the repatriated are children, women and adolescents who beg in Santiago streetcorners.

He said contrary to what occurs previously, in the latest operations, many Dominicans have collaborated with Immigration inspectors and the military by denouncing the undocumented people.