Amid fears of the mass deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrant workers from the Dominican Republic, Virgin Island Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett released the following statement:
“The current situation in the Dominican Republic is not only concerning, but also disheartening. While the Dominican Republic, as a sovereign nation, has the right to determine its own immigration policy, it should provide a practicable pathway to citizenship for the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers currently living and contributing in the country. The Dominican Republic owes these men and women, some of whom have Dominican-born children, and work low-wage jobs that supplement its economy, a fair and just pathway to citizenship. A mass deportation of Haitian and other migrant-workers also has a most unfortunate potential to fuel fears of ethnic conflict, lest we forget the bloody past between the bordering island nations. I implore the government of the Dominican Republic to pursue a deferred option similar to that of President Obama’s DACA/DAPA,” Plaskett said
