Hospital Deportations Push Mothers Into Risky Home Births

Haitian women in the Dominican Republic face dire situations as immigration agents detain migrants in hospitals. With the fear of deportation looming, many chose to give birth in unsupervised and unsafe conditions.

Katty Joseph, a 20-year-old Haitian woman, was among those afraid to seek medical help for childbirth due to the risk of deportation. Dominican officials at public hospitals have been targeting undocumented migrants, including mothers and their newborns, over the past year. This policy primarily affects Haitians fleeing a severe humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

Ms. Joseph, who arrived in the Dominican Republic a year ago, found refuge in a car repair shop’s backroom. There, in October, she gave birth surrounded by challenging conditions. Laying on a blanket on the shop’s floor, she persevered through the Caribbean heat, assisted by a friend. Ms. Joseph herself cut the umbilical cord with a razor, but the baby was silent. Tragically, her child died within a day.

Reflecting on her loss, Ms. Joseph described the experience as an extremely difficult moment, using Creole to express her grief.

With the current environment in the Dominican Republic, many Haitian mothers face equally harrowing decisions, prioritizing safety from deportation over necessary medical care, often with tragic outcomes.