Little Haiti: The silence left by immigration operations

SANTO DOMINGO.- The so-called “Little Haiti,” a commercial zone located around the Mercado Modelo in the National District, no longer vibrates as before. The immigration operations of the last few months have visibly reduced the presence of Haitian nationals, causing a complete change in the atmosphere. “Before this was full, now it feels desolate,” comments Martin, a Dominican who has been in the place for more than six decades. According to him, what was once a hotbed of commerce and bustle, today looks like a market on pause.

Raids by the General Directorate of Migration have intensified in the area as part of the Government’s efforts to repatriate Haitian citizens in an irregular situation. In a recent day alone, more than a thousand detentions were reported in different parts of the country. Most of those repatriated were informal workers who sustained the economic movement of areas like this.

Cristian Montero, another local merchant, states that the impact following these measures adopted against economic illegal immigration is undeniable. “Sales have really gone down, and that affects everyone, Dominicans and Haitians. Here, most of them were Haitian customers or vendors.”

A lasting coexistence

Despite the decrease in the Haitian population, the residents who still remain in the area insist that coexistence remains peaceful. “There is no problem with Haitians here. They are calm, hardworking people,” says Germanio Olivares, a street vendor. This perception contrasts with the narrative of conflict that often circulates in the media and social networks. In Little Haiti, most of those interviewed, highlighting Dominicans, speak of cordial, even fraternal, relationships.

They ask for regularization

Some residents suggest resuming immigration policies from past decades. “With Balaguer, they were given work permits. If it expired, it was renewed or they left. That way there were no problems,” said Martin, recalling the immigration policy of the 70s and 80s. Meanwhile, Cristian adds: “We must seek human solutions. It’s not just about removing people, but understanding that many Haitians have been here for years, work, and have families. They are human beings like us.”

A border within the city

Little Haiti has become a kind of symbolic border between two realities. On the one hand, the Dominican State seeks to exercise its migratory sovereignty. On the other, a community that has historically worked and lived together in relative peace, today faces fear, uncertainty and economic abandonment. The empty positions, the scarce sales, and the silence that didn’t exist before are evidence that something has changed.