Dominican Republic to accept third-country nationals deported by US

The Dominican Republic announced Tuesday that it will temporarily accept nationals from third countries deported by the US except for those from neighboring Haiti.

The government signed the non-binding memorandum of understanding with the US under the Shield of the Americas initiative, a US-led military and political coalition designed to strengthen regional security in the Western Hemisphere, primarily targeting drug cartels, transnational organized crime, foreign interference and illegal migration.

Under the agreement, the Dominican government will receive a limited number of third-country nationals with no criminal records. The measure does not include Haitian migrants or unaccompanied minors, however.

The operation will be financially supported by the US in order to “ensure adequate conditions during their temporary stay and facilitate their orderly return to their countries of origin,” according to a statement issued by the Dominican Foreign Ministry.

The two countries are also making efforts to strengthen airport and border security through biometric systems and new technologies that will improve controls at major entry points.

As part of its counterterrorism commitments, the Dominican government said it has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group as terrorist organizations.

The Shield of the Americas, a 17-nation security coalition launched by US President Donald Trump in March, includes Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Honduras, Chile and Panama.