The South Florida Haitian community took to the streets Thursday to protest the deportation of Haitians from the Dominican Republic. They are calling it a humanitarian crisis.
"We are saying no to mass deportation. No to de-naturalization and yes to a path to citizenship," said Haitian activist Marleine Bastien.
Dozens showed their outrage by participating in a march from the Dominican Consulate to the Haitian Consulate and back to the Dominican Consulate, where they demonstrated for several hours.
The group is protesting a law in the Dominican Republic that would force hundreds of thousands of people, many of Haitian descent, out of the D.R. After the 2013 decision, the Dominican government created a process which offering a path to legal residency and eventually citizenship. But the law states that anyone who did not register by the June 17th deadline, would be deported regardless of where they are born. Critics in Miami's Haitian community say the process is designed to fail Haitians.
"Since they've never had papers in the first place, they've never had birth certificates, it's impossible for them to prove that they've been living in the country, born in the country... as far back as 1940," Bastien said.
So essentially Dominicans of Haitian descent who could not provide the paperwork are in limbo. Initially the deportations were set to begin today, June 25th, but the Dominican government has now clarified that it will be a slow process.
"The Dominican government claims they are not conducting mass deportations, however it's paying buses to take people across the border," Bastien said.
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Dominicans also rallied with local Haitians to show their support.
"I'm here as a Dominican of conscious to speak up against this law which is against human rights in the Dominican Republic," added Erick Paulino. "They were born on Dominican soil, they deserve Dominican citizenship and they've helped the Dominican economy."
The group protesting on Thursday said they plan to boycott Dominican products.
