Dominican Republic Hospital Detentions Prompt Haitian Women to Give Birth Outside Medical Facilities

Haitian women are giving birth in unsanitary conditions without medical supervision after the Dominican Republic began sending immigration agents to hospitals to detain migrants. The detentions occur at medical facilities where Haitian migrants previously received prenatal and delivery care. Women now avoid these locations to prevent detention and deportation.

The Dominican Republic implemented the hospital enforcement measure to locate and remove migrants present without legal status. Haitian women have responded by seeking alternative delivery settings that lack trained staff or sterile equipment. Hospital staff have observed fewer Haitian patients arriving for labor and delivery services since the agents began their operations.

Some women have given birth in private homes or other non-clinical environments. The shift in care location increases exposure to infection and complications that trained medical personnel would normally address. No official statements from Dominican Republic authorities appear in the available reporting.