Editing Dominican Republic (section)

====Haitian immigration====
{{Main|Haitians in the Dominican Republic}}
[[File:Haiti deforestation.jpg|thumb|A satellite image of the [[Dominican Republic–Haiti border|border]] between [[Haiti]] (left) and the Dominican Republic (right), highlighting the [[Deforestation in Haiti|deforestation on the Haitian side]]]]
[[File:Dominicans and Haitians Braving the Weather.jpg|thumb|Dominicans and Haitians lined up to attend medical providers from the [[U.S. Army Reserve]]]]
[[File:Haitian-Dominican border in Grand-Bois, Cornillon, Haiti, June 2017 3.jpg|thumb|View of border region between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The border runs horizontally through the middle of the picture.]]
[[File:One Too Many; 50+ Haitian Workers In Transit.jpg|thumb|Haitian workers being transported in [[Punta Cana]], the Dominican Republic]]
[[Human Rights Watch]] estimated that 70,000 documented Haitian immigrants and 1,930,000 undocumented immigrants were living in Dominican Republic.{{efn|[[Illegal immigration]] from Haiti has resulted in government action. Immigration from Haiti has increased tensions between Dominicans and Haitians.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cronkite.asu.edu/projects/buffett/dr/labor.html |title=Illegal Haitian Workers in Demand |website=cronkite.asu.edu |access-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-date=November 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105120649/https://cronkite.asu.edu/projects/buffett/dr/labor.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3cf2429a4.html|title=Refworld &#124; "Illegal People": Haitians And Dominico-Haitians In The Dominican Republic|author=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|website=Refworld|access-date=November 8, 2021|archive-date=January 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120220256/https://www.refworld.org/docid/3cf2429a4.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2021/03/08/immigration-repatriates-200000-illegal-haitians-in-2-months/ |title=Immigration repatriates 200,000 illegal Haitians in 2 months |date=March 8, 2021 |website=dominicantoday.com |access-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108195257/https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2021/03/08/immigration-repatriates-200000-illegal-haitians-in-2-months/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.haitianinternet.com/articles/new-dominican-law-prevent-illegal-haitians-from-renting-a-pl.html |title=New Dominican law seeks to prevent illegal Haitians from renting a place to live |website=News From Haiti |access-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108195313/http://www.haitianinternet.com/articles/new-dominican-law-prevent-illegal-haitians-from-renting-a-pl.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theworld.org/stories/2011-05-09/dominican-republic-denies-birthright-citizenship-children-illegal-immigrants|title=Dominican Republic denies birthright citizenship to children of illegal immigrants|website=The World from PRX|date=August 2, 2016 |access-date=November 8, 2021|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104123806/https://theworld.org/stories/2011-05-09/dominican-republic-denies-birthright-citizenship-children-illegal-immigrants|url-status=live}}</ref> The Dominican Republic is also home to 114,050 illegal immigrants from [[Venezuela]].<ref name="CIADemo"/>}}

Haiti is the neighboring nation to the Dominican Republic and is considerably poorer, less developed and is additionally the least developed country in the western hemisphere. In 2003, 80% of all Haitians were poor (54% living in abject poverty) and 47.1% were illiterate. The country of nine million people also has a fast growing population, but over two-thirds of the labor force lack formal jobs. Haiti's per capita GDP (PPP) was $1,800 in 2017, or just over one-tenth of the Dominican figure.<ref name="CIADemo" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/ |title=CIA&nbsp;– The World Factbook&nbsp;– Haiti |access-date=January 10, 2010 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209014627/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/haiti/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As a result, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have migrated to the Dominican Republic, with some estimates of 800,000 Haitians in the country,<ref name="pinadep">{{cite web|url=http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37018|title=Dominican Republic: Deport Thy (Darker-Skinned) Neighbour|date=March 21, 2007|access-date=January 14, 2008|author=Diógenes Pina|publisher=Inter Press Service (IPS)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109194929/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37018 |archive-date=January 9, 2008}}</ref> while others put the Haitian-born population as high as one million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Illegal people|publisher=Human Rights Watch|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020421144908/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/domrep/domrep0402-02.htm|archive-date=April 21, 2002|access-date=May 29, 2007}}</ref> They usually work at low-paying and unskilled jobs in building construction and house cleaning and in sugar plantations.<ref name="ferguson">{{cite web|url=http://www.minorityrights.org/1038/reports/migration-in-the-caribbean-haiti-the-dominican-republic-and-beyond.html|title=Migration in the Caribbean: Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Beyond|access-date=January 14, 2008|author=James Ferguson|date=July 2003|publisher=Minority Rights Group International|format=PDF|archive-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116012247/http://www.minorityrights.org/1038/reports/migration-in-the-caribbean-haiti-the-dominican-republic-and-beyond.html|url-status=live}}</ref> There have been accusations that some Haitian immigrants work in slavery-like conditions and are severely exploited.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-morse/haitian-cane-workers-in-t_b_626610.html Richard Morse: Haitian Cane Workers in the Dominican Republic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113102412/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-morse/haitian-cane-workers-in-t_b_626610.html |date=November 13, 2012 }}. Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved on September 22, 2011.</ref>

Due to the lack of basic amenities and medical facilities in Haiti a large number of Haitian women, often arriving with several health problems, cross the border to Dominican soil. They deliberately come during their last weeks of pregnancy to obtain medical attention for childbirth, since Dominican public hospitals do not refuse medical services based on nationality or legal status. Statistics from a hospital in Santo Domingo report that over 22% of childbirths are by Haitian mothers.<ref name="LD2008-01-21" />

Haiti also [[Environmental issues in Haiti|suffers from severe environmental degradation]]. Deforestation is rampant in Haiti; today less than 4 percent of Haiti's forests remain, and in many places the soil has eroded right down to the bedrock.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dirt Poor — Haiti has lost its soil and the means to feed itself|url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/bourne-text|website=nationalgeographic.com|access-date=September 14, 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011141022/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/bourne-text|archive-date=October 11, 2008}}</ref> Haitians burn wood charcoal for 60% of their domestic energy production. Because of Haiti running out of plant material to burn, some Haitian bootleggers have created an illegal market for charcoal on the Dominican side. Conservative estimates calculate the illegal movement of 115 tons of charcoal per week from the Dominican Republic to Haiti. Dominican officials estimate that at least 10 trucks per week are crossing the border loaded with charcoal.<ref>{{cite web|title=The charcoal war|url=http://latinamericanscience.org/2014/03/the-charcoal-war/|website=latinamericanscience.org|date=March 11, 2014|access-date=September 14, 2019|archive-date=May 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518135314/http://latinamericanscience.org/2014/03/the-charcoal-war/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2005, Dominican President Leonel Fernández criticized collective expulsions of Haitians as having taken place "in an abusive and inhuman way".<ref>{{cite web|title=Dominican Republic: A Life in Transit|publisher=Amnesty International|date=March 21, 2007|url=http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR270012007|access-date=June 3, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422232810/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR270012007|archive-date=April 22, 2007}}</ref> After a UN delegation issued a preliminary report stating that it found a profound problem of racism and discrimination against people of Haitian origin, Dominican [[Foreign Minister]] [[Carlos Morales Troncoso]] issued a formal statement denouncing it, asserting that "our border with Haiti has its problems[;] this is our reality and it must be understood. It is important not to confuse national sovereignty with indifference, and not to confuse security with [[xenophobia]]."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39867|title=Dominican Republic: Gov't Turns Deaf Ear to UN Experts on Racism|date=October 31, 2007|access-date=January 14, 2008|author=Diógenes Pina|publisher=Inter Press Service (IPS)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109074036/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39867 |archive-date=January 9, 2008}}</ref>

Haitian nationals send half a [[billion]] [[dollars]] total yearly in remittance from the Dominican Republic to Haiti, according to the [[World Bank]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/migrationremittancesdiasporaissues/brief/migration-remittances-data |title=Migration and Remittances Data |publisher=World Bank Group |access-date=July 20, 2020 |quote=Bilateral Remittances Matrices. |archive-date=November 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106093652/https://www.knomad.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/bilateralmigrationmatrix20170_Apr2018.xlsx |url-status=live }}</ref>

The government of the Dominican Republic invested a total of $16 billion pesos in health services offered to foreign patients in 2013–2016, according to official data, which includes medical expenses in blood transfusion, clinical analysis, surgeries and other care.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eldinero.com.do/47546/gobierno-dominicano-invierte-mas-de-rd3000-millones-en-servicios-medicos-a-extranjeros/ |title=Gobierno dominicano invierte más de RD$3,000 millones en servicios médicos a extranjeros |date=September 18, 2017 |publisher=Periódico elDinero |access-date=July 20, 2020 |quote=En 2016 el Gobierno destinó, a través del SNS, RD$3,037.7 millones para brindar servicios médicos a extranjeros a través de centros de salud del Estado, según las memorias de rendición de cuentas del Ministerio de Salud Pública. |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819054018/https://eldinero.com.do/47546/gobierno-dominicano-invierte-mas-de-rd3000-millones-en-servicios-medicos-a-extranjeros/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to official reports, the country spends more than five billion Dominican pesos annually in care for pregnant women who cross the border ready to deliver.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://elnacional.com.do/5-mil-millones-gasta-rd-al-ano-en-partos-de-haitianas/ |title=$5 mil millones Gasta RD al año en partos de haitianas |date=May 18, 2017 |publisher=Periódico El Nacional |access-date=July 20, 2020 |quote=Más de cinco mil millones de pesos invierte el Gobierno anualmente en atenciones a embarazadas haitianas. |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124101011/https://elnacional.com.do/5-mil-millones-gasta-rd-al-ano-en-partos-de-haitianas/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The children of Haitian immigrants are eligible for Haitian nationality,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oas.org/juridico/MLA/en/hti/en_hti-int-const.html|title=Constitution of Haiti, 1987|access-date=October 16, 2010|quote=ARTICLE 11: Any person born of a Haitian father or Haitian mother who are themselves native-born Haitians and have never renounced their nationality possesses Haitian nationality at the time of birth.|archive-date=October 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018140315/http://www.oas.org/juridico/MLA/en/hti/en_hti-int-const.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but they may be denied it by Haiti because of a lack of proper documents or witnesses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/9770|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708224221/http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/9770|archive-date=July 8, 2008|title=Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the United States: Protect Rights, Reduce Statelessness|publisher=Refugees International|date=November 1, 2007|author=Maureen Lynch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Andrew Grossman|title=Birthright citizenship as nationality of convenience|work=Proceedings of the Third Conference on Nationality|publisher=Council of Europe|date=October 11, 2004|url=http://www.uniset.ca/naty/maternity/|access-date=June 3, 2007|archive-date=January 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123031843/http://uniset.ca/naty/maternity/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the United States: Protect rights, reduce statelessness|agency=Reuters|date=January 19, 2007|url=http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000052/005242.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708193320/http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000052/005242.htm|archive-date=July 8, 2008|access-date=May 29, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Michelle Garcia|title=No Papers, No Rights|publisher=Amnesty International|year=2006|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/Fall_2006/No_Papers_No_Rights/page.do?id=1105216&n1=2&n2=19&n3=358|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807031700/http://www.amnestyusa.org/Fall_2006/No_Papers_No_Rights/page.do?id=1105216&n1=2&n2=19&n3=358|archive-date=August 7, 2007|access-date=May 29, 2007}}</ref>