Homero Figueroa, a spokesman for the Dominican Republic presidency, reported that Roberto Alvarez, the minister of foreign affairs, claimed that the migration notice issued by the U.S. in November 2022 has significantly lowered tourism. Due to the Dominican Republic migration alert, at least 35,000 fewer travelers have visited the Caribbean nation in recent months.

This latest development followed a discussion between Alvarez, U.S. Undersecretary Wendy Sherman, and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader at the country’s National Palace, as reported byDominican Today.

There were persistent worries at the U.S. Embassy regarding the treatment of Black Americans in the Dominican Republic. According to reports from American citizens, immigration authorities in the Dominican Republic have delayed, taken into custody, and questioned them more thoroughly simply because of the color of their skin.

The migration alert states that Dominican migration agents have been conducting widespread operations to detain people they suspect of being unauthorized migrants, with a special focus on people of Haitian heritage.

The legal standing of the people of the Dominican Republic or their nationality has occasionally been neglected by the authorities, notes Travel Noire. More interactions with Dominican officials could arise from these moves, especially for U.S. citizens with darker skin tones and of African descent.

Overcrowded and inhumane circumstances have been widely reported in detention facilities. Inmates have little recourse to contest their confinement or demand basic necessities like restroom facilities, water and nourishment. Innocent people are sometimes imprisoned for several days before they are either freed or sent back to Haiti.

According to Figueroa, the U.S. undersecretary pledged during the meeting to restore the Dominican Republic’s prior immigration status.

Black residents of the United States were forewarned by the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic about the General Directorate of Migration’s increased efforts to imprison undocumented immigrants, particularly people of darker skin complexions

As reported by Diario Libre, a new publication from the Dominican Republic, Alvarez stressed that the country is open, and that North Americans make up the largest portion of its tourist population.

Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.