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Categories could solve Haitian immigration issue in Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO.- Immigration director Carlos Amarante affirmed that the Book on Foreigners (Libro de extranjería) suggested by the Dominican Supreme Court will help solve conflicts stemming from the Haitian immigration and announced that he is awaiting the approval of rules that would regulate the situation.

"With the regulation proposed to the Executive Branch there is the possibility of placing several categories on the immigrants, in accordance with the time which they have in the country," he said.

The official said that the regulation has not been approved because president Leonel Fernandez stated that it was necessary to address that proposal in a constitutional reform.

The suggestion could give rise to a change of birthright attribute, from Jus solis (by place) to Jus sanguinis (by bloodline).

Regarding the sentence handed down by the Inter-American Court for Rights which favors 2 girls of Haitian ancestry, Amarante feels that the country should comply.

"It?s necessary to question the Dominican Foreign Minister, who said that we were going to abide, and that it?s necessary to abide by it," he said, but affirmed that the Court overstepped its functions.

"It incurred in a issue that is of our absolute sovereignty, because nobody can tell the Dominican Republic how it must legislate to grant nationality to foreigners," he said.

Amarante also revealed that Haitian with forged cedulas have been detected.