Hospital Deportations Force Risky Home Births Among Haitian Women

In the Dominican Republic, Dominican immigration officials have been detaining undocumented migrants at public hospitals. This action includes mothers and their newborns, leading to many Haitians avoiding medical facilities. This fear of deportation has driven many to give birth in unsupervised and unsanitary conditions.

Katty Joseph, a 20-year-old Haitian woman, faced this dire situation. After arriving in the Dominican Republic a year ago, she found shelter in the backroom of a car repair shop. With a lack of legal documents, she feared that seeking help at a hospital would lead to deportation.

In late October, Ms. Joseph went through labor in the cramped, stifling heat of the shop’s backroom. A friend aided her during childbirth, while Ms. Joseph used a blanket for support on the grease-stained floor. She resorted to cutting the umbilical cord with a razor. Tragically, her baby did not survive. Less than 24 hours after birth, her child passed away.

Describing the emotional and physical challenges, Ms. Joseph expressed her grief in Creole, highlighting the immense difficulties faced by Haitian migrants. The tightening of immigration enforcement at healthcare facilities forces many women into precarious birthing situations, risking the health and lives of both mothers and their newborns.