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RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC�S IMPENDING MASS DEPORTATION OF HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS

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WHEREAS, a 2013 Dominican Republic court decision stripped away the citizenship of Dominicans born after 1929 to parents not of Dominican ancestry; and
WHEREAS, the ruling affected more than 200,000 Dominican citizens of Haitian descent, rendering them stateless; and
WHEREAS, following the court ruling, the Dominican Republic passed a law creating naturalization and regularization processes; and
WHEREAS, Dominicans of Haitian descent could become naturalized citizens through the naturalization process and undocumented migrant workers could obtain work permits through the regularization process; and
WHEREAS, those registering for naturalization will be granted citizenship if they have proper documentation and were formally registered when born in the Dominican Republic; and
WHEREAS, the naturalization process is challenging because many Dominicans of Haitian descent do not have proper paperwork and were not formally registered since they were born in rural areas without access to hospitals; and
WHEREAS, the regularization process required migrant workers to register and complete the process by June 17, 2015 or be deported; and
WHEREAS, Haitians make up a large percentage of migrant workers in the Dominican Republic, leaving a large population of Haitian immigrants at risk of deportation; and
WHEREAS, less than half of the Dominican Republic�s estimated 500,000 migrant workers have started the regularization process; and
WHEREAS, the migrant workers who have registered for regularization have been granted a 45-day grace period to complete the process; and
WHEREAS, under-resourced immigration processing centers, as well as difficulties in obtaining appropriate paperwork and transportation to processing centers, have reportedly hampered people�s ability to register and complete the regularization process; and
WHEREAS, there is a risk of illegal deportation of Dominicans of Haitian descent and migrant workers who have registered for regularization because the impending deportations will be large-scale and likely lack adequate screening mechanisms; and
WHEREAS, the Dominican Republic�s treatment of Haitians predates the recent events concerning the possible mass deportation of Haitians; and
WHEREAS, the 1937 Parsely Massacre claimed the lives of thousands of Haitians after the Dominican Republic�s dictator ordered the killing of those believed to be Haitian; and
WHEREAS, this Board condemns the Dominican Republic�s impending mass deportation of Haitian immigrants given the human rights implications, risk of illegal deportations, and current ineffectiveness of the regularization process,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Condemns the Dominican Republic�s impending mass deportation of Haitian immigrants.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to United States President Barack Obama, Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, and United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James Brewster.