As fallout spreads, Dominican Republic starts tally of Haitians’ offspring

Santo Domingo.- The government of the Dominican Republic on Wednesday issued a temporary residency permit to Juliana Dequis Pierre, whose parents are undocumented Haitians, as the first step within the nationwide plan to regularize foreigners living in the country illegally.

The measure stems from the ruling which has fueled protests in Miami, Port-au-Prince and San Juan, while in Mexico, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights hears testimony from alleged Dominicans who say they were expelled because of their Haitian origin.

Immigration Agency director José R. Taveras made the announcement, and noted that the measure complies with paragraph four of the Constitutional Court ruling of two weeks ago, which has since unleashed fallout locally and abroad, by groups which rebuke it as racist.

The official said all branches of government must comply with ruling TC/0168-13. "The ruling handed down by the Constitutional Court is binding on the three branches of government and obviously we had to comply within the 10 day period and that’s what we have done."

Quoted by diariolibre.com, Taveras said Immigration registered Dequis Pierre and will do so with all persons in a similar situation, as the ruling orders, and will be issued a temporary permit until the policy of the plan to regularize foreigners is enacted.

On the referred Plan, he explained that we should expect that the Minister of Interior and police, José Ramón Fadul, who presides over the national migration Council, convened for this purpose, because the statement has a mandate of 90 days, so that the Agency render a report.

The official said the measure from the ruling is the beginning of the end of the "human drama that impacts all concerned."

The Constitutional Court ruling orders Immigration to issue to Deguis Pierre, a descendant of Haitians, a "special temporary residency permit in the country" after she requested a protection order while she appeal on the sentence.