Help Prevent Deportation for 10 Haitian Families!
Donation protected
Hi friends! As you know, documentation for Haitians is an ongoing problem in the Dominican Republic. This time, I am raising funds for 10 Haitian families living in the Dominican Republic currently at risk of deportation. I hope to raise $1,400 to help secure documentation for 10 adults (head of households).
I have been visiting and doing research on the Dominican Republic for the last 6 years. In this time, I have worked closely with Haitian communities learning through hundreds of hours of combined research and interviews about their struggle for equality and citizenship. In 2013, Dominican constitutional amendments retroactively rescinded birthright citizenship. That meant anyone born in the country to non Dominican people in “transit” (since 1929) were no longer considered Dominican citizens. At the time, this left nearly 250,000 people at risk of becoming stateless. There have since been “pathways” to citizenship/documentation, but these have been unclear at best. Haitian descendants are still at odds. Some current challenges include (unlawful) immigration raids, racial profiling, destruction of documents, costs of applications, and confusing legislation.
I am seeking to raise $1,450 for 10 adult passports. The passport applications they are seeking (non-expedited) cost $140 USD (others can go as high $220). The remaining $50 is to offset GoFund me fees to ensure that the full amount needed ($1,400) is received. Having secure documentation is life changing. It keeps children enrolled in school, provides access to employment, a bank account, and, importantly, no longer at risk of deportation.
Your help will fundamentally change the livelihood of 10 families moving forward. Since we started raising funds we have been able to secure passports for 10 adults which have been issued without any problems. Thank you for all those that were able to contribute/share (a successful application first photo, and passport issue, second photo, below from our efforts earlier this year).
I have been visiting and doing research on the Dominican Republic for the last 6 years. In this time, I have worked closely with Haitian communities learning through hundreds of hours of combined research and interviews about their struggle for equality and citizenship. In 2013, Dominican constitutional amendments retroactively rescinded birthright citizenship. That meant anyone born in the country to non Dominican people in “transit” (since 1929) were no longer considered Dominican citizens. At the time, this left nearly 250,000 people at risk of becoming stateless. There have since been “pathways” to citizenship/documentation, but these have been unclear at best. Haitian descendants are still at odds. Some current challenges include (unlawful) immigration raids, racial profiling, destruction of documents, costs of applications, and confusing legislation.
I am seeking to raise $1,450 for 10 adult passports. The passport applications they are seeking (non-expedited) cost $140 USD (others can go as high $220). The remaining $50 is to offset GoFund me fees to ensure that the full amount needed ($1,400) is received. Having secure documentation is life changing. It keeps children enrolled in school, provides access to employment, a bank account, and, importantly, no longer at risk of deportation.
Your help will fundamentally change the livelihood of 10 families moving forward. Since we started raising funds we have been able to secure passports for 10 adults which have been issued without any problems. Thank you for all those that were able to contribute/share (a successful application first photo, and passport issue, second photo, below from our efforts earlier this year).
Organizer
Edlin Veras
Organizer
Swarthmore, PA