The United States government deported 1,419 Dominicans in 2020, including 689 for violating immigration laws, 596 for drug trafficking, and others for violating the country’s state and federal laws while in that country.
The data comes from a statistical report provided to the DIARY by the Directorate-General for Migration, which explains that the number of deportees accounted for 40.55% in the period from January 1 to December 31, 2020.
The government led by former President Donald Trump introduced a “zero tolerance” immigration policy, deporting thousands of undocumented immigrants from Central American, Dominican and other countries to their countries of origin.
In addition, during the Trump administration, hundreds of children of citizens of these Central American countries were separated from their parents and are still held in detention centers in cities across the United States.
While, according to the same statistical data provided, the line of nationals deported for drug trafficking took second place, with 596, or 36%, of the 1,419 ex-convicts deported from the United States in 2020.
Of this number, 596 Dominicans have spent between 5 and 15 years in prison, charged with drug trafficking, murder, money laundering and other typical forms of international drug trafficking.
These were related, such as settlement of bills, revenge for drug “tumbes” and other criminal actions related to that illegal activity.
The data also shows that 111 Dominicans charged with violent theft, 64 for assault, 48 for committing fraud, 76 for crime and sexual abuse, 24 for carrying firearms illegally and 10 for trafficking in human beings, have also been sentenced .
The statistical report on migration also includes the cases of 52 citizens who were repatriated to the Dominican Republic, accused of domestic violence, 3 of terrorism and 2 of kidnappings.
After serving their sentences, they were all transported to the country on special flights and planes were hired by the United States Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE), which landed at Las Américas International Airport (AILA).
In the same plane that takes them back to the country, the ex-detainees are handcuffed with chains on both hands and legs amid strict security measures. Taking into account the danger and aggressiveness of some of them.
As personal luggage they bring a black plastic suitcase containing their dreams and their few possessions. During the flight of more than four hours they are accompanied by members of ICE and Marshall agents.
In 2020, ICE flights bringing deportees to the country never stopped, despite flight restrictions and the closure of Dominican airports due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
They tried to return to the United States
Many of the deportees were arrested while attempting to return illegally to the United States through various channels, where they left businesses, women and children.
The same ex-convicts regularly tried to return, traveling as stowaways in commercial ships departing from Dominican ports whose sea routes were docks in cities in the United States.
Likewise, they buy permanent passports and travel with a visa from Mexico, to attempt to cross the border from that Aztec country with the help of Mexican Coyotes to re-enter American territory.
Many of these ex-convicts, eager to return to the United States, are being held at Dominican airports with forged passports and modified US and Mexican visas.
The US immigration authorities impose a five-year prison sentence on ex-convicts who have been deported to their country of origin and are being held to return to that country.
ICE is transferred to the Creoles’ country groups previously placed on deportation lists after serving their sentences in prisons in the United States.
Before being shipped to the country, they are held for weeks and even months in an ICE center, in the city of Alexandria, Louisiana, while arrangements are made for their deportation.
On return, these are delivered by the North American authorities to representatives of state security agencies serving the AILA, such as the Directorate General for Migration, the National Investigation Service (DNI), the National Police and the Specialized Corps of Airport Security and Civil Aviation (CESAC). ).
While these are taken on board the bus from the airport to a Deported Retention Center of the General Directorate of Migration in Haina, where they are sanitized, booked and handed over to their relatives, if they have no ongoing problems with the Dominican justice.
On the other hand, those who committed crimes in the country before going abroad, and it was found that they had cases with the judicial authorities, are referred to the police investigative authorities and the corresponding courts.
In 2019, US authorities repatriated 1,725 former Dominican members who had been convicted of various crimes in North American territory. In 2018, there were 2,121 repatriations.
Voluntary Return
According to the details, many Dominicans who resided illegally in the United States voluntarily returned to the country last year with route letters, following the new immigration-restricting measures taken by Trump for raids and an active prosecution against undocumented migrants.
To return to the country, they used a provisional passport or route letter from the Dominican consulates in the various North American cities to return to their country.
In exceptional cases, these will be issued to nationals who do not have the valid document and must travel to the Dominican Republic.