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Dominican Court’s Ruling on Citizenship Stirs Emotions in New York Dominican Court’s Ruling on Citizenship Stirs Emotions in New York
(34 minutes later)
Nina Paulino was born in the Dominican Republic. She loves her native country.Nina Paulino was born in the Dominican Republic. She loves her native country.
Yet on Thursday, she found herself at a noisy demonstration in Times Square, within view and earshot of the Dominican consulate, holding a placard critical of the Dominican government.Yet on Thursday, she found herself at a noisy demonstration in Times Square, within view and earshot of the Dominican consulate, holding a placard critical of the Dominican government.
Ms. Paulino, 52, was among the several dozen protesters denouncing a recent Dominican high court ruling that annulled the citizenship of anyone born in the country to noncitizens after 1929. The decision applied to as many as 200,000 people, mostly people of Haitian descent.Ms. Paulino, 52, was among the several dozen protesters denouncing a recent Dominican high court ruling that annulled the citizenship of anyone born in the country to noncitizens after 1929. The decision applied to as many as 200,000 people, mostly people of Haitian descent.
“I see all these things: How I love my country, how I love my people, and how the government manages to mess up everything with decisions like this,” said Ms. Paulino, who holds dual Dominican and American citizenship and described herself as a community activist.“I see all these things: How I love my country, how I love my people, and how the government manages to mess up everything with decisions like this,” said Ms. Paulino, who holds dual Dominican and American citizenship and described herself as a community activist.
The Sept. 23 ruling by the Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court has provoked widespread criticism around the world. In New York City — which has about 94,000 Haitian and 380,000 Dominican immigrants, according to the 2011 American Community Survey — the response has been especially vociferous.The Sept. 23 ruling by the Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court has provoked widespread criticism around the world. In New York City — which has about 94,000 Haitian and 380,000 Dominican immigrants, according to the 2011 American Community Survey — the response has been especially vociferous.
The demonstration on Thursday in Times Square, which was led by Haitian activists, was one of the city’s largest protests yet against the court ruling. Most of the protesters were Haitian, though there was also a small, vocal contingent of Dominicans.The demonstration on Thursday in Times Square, which was led by Haitian activists, was one of the city’s largest protests yet against the court ruling. Most of the protesters were Haitian, though there was also a small, vocal contingent of Dominicans.
The ruling has presented a particular emotional challenge to many in New York’s Dominican diaspora who have been forced to wrestle with two competing ideas: loyalty to their native or ancestral country and a deep, visceral opposition to the court’s decision.The ruling has presented a particular emotional challenge to many in New York’s Dominican diaspora who have been forced to wrestle with two competing ideas: loyalty to their native or ancestral country and a deep, visceral opposition to the court’s decision.
Many said the ruling underscored a history of racial prejudice in the country against Haitians and their descendants.Many said the ruling underscored a history of racial prejudice in the country against Haitians and their descendants.
“Dominicans are having to thread that needle: how to love something but also calling attention to its weaknesses,” said Edward Paulino, assistant professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, who is Dominican-American (and no relation to Nina Paulino).“Dominicans are having to thread that needle: how to love something but also calling attention to its weaknesses,” said Edward Paulino, assistant professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, who is Dominican-American (and no relation to Nina Paulino).
He said this tension was part of the challenge facing any group of citizens who had taken a dissenting view from their government.He said this tension was part of the challenge facing any group of citizens who had taken a dissenting view from their government.
“Anything that’s seen as a criticism is seen as treasonous,” he said. “We’re not the first people who have had to grapple with that.”“Anything that’s seen as a criticism is seen as treasonous,” he said. “We’re not the first people who have had to grapple with that.”
The Dominican Republic has for years struggled with the question of citizenship and who is entitled to it.The Dominican Republic has for years struggled with the question of citizenship and who is entitled to it.
For decades, the government generally bestowed citizenship on anyone born in the country except those born to diplomats or foreigners “in transit.” In the 1990s, however, there was a growing practice by civil registries to interpret all undocumented Haitians as being “in transit” regardless of how long they had lived in the country, said Roxanna Altholz, associate director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley.For decades, the government generally bestowed citizenship on anyone born in the country except those born to diplomats or foreigners “in transit.” In the 1990s, however, there was a growing practice by civil registries to interpret all undocumented Haitians as being “in transit” regardless of how long they had lived in the country, said Roxanna Altholz, associate director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley.
In 2010, the Dominican Constitution was amended to define undocumented residents as “in transit,” and the recent Constitutional Court decision retroactively applied the definition to all the undocumented parents of the children born in the country since 1929. In 2010, the Dominican Constitution was amended to define undocumented residents as “in transit,” and the recent Constitutional Court decision retroactively applied the definition to all the undocumented parents of the children born in the country since 1929, Ms. Altholz said..
The ruling is expected to affect primarily the descendants of Haitian laborers who entered the Dominican Republic to work in its sugar industry; many of those workers were actively recruited by Dominican business interests. The Dominican government said it would provide a path to legal residency for those excluded by the court ruling.The ruling is expected to affect primarily the descendants of Haitian laborers who entered the Dominican Republic to work in its sugar industry; many of those workers were actively recruited by Dominican business interests. The Dominican government said it would provide a path to legal residency for those excluded by the court ruling.
The ruling has inflamed the historically fraught relationship between the two nations, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Haitian government recalled its ambassador to Santo Domingo in response to the ruling.The ruling has inflamed the historically fraught relationship between the two nations, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Haitian government recalled its ambassador to Santo Domingo in response to the ruling.
Critics of the ruling have described it as xenophobic and have said it reflects a chronic, deeply embedded racism that permeates Dominican society.Critics of the ruling have described it as xenophobic and have said it reflects a chronic, deeply embedded racism that permeates Dominican society.
Several years ago, two United Nations human rights experts described in a report a “profound and entrenched problem of racism and discrimination” against blacks in general — and Haitians in particular — in the Dominican Republic.Several years ago, two United Nations human rights experts described in a report a “profound and entrenched problem of racism and discrimination” against blacks in general — and Haitians in particular — in the Dominican Republic.
Angela Fernandez, executive director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said the court ruling transcended party politics and was “an extension of the Dominican government’s deeply troubled history and track record as it relates to their treatment of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent.”Angela Fernandez, executive director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said the court ruling transcended party politics and was “an extension of the Dominican government’s deeply troubled history and track record as it relates to their treatment of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent.”
“There’s a tragic history of discrimination against Haitians in the Dominican Republic,” she added.“There’s a tragic history of discrimination against Haitians in the Dominican Republic,” she added.
Estela Vazquez, a Dominican immigrant and executive vice president of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, said the sometimes difficult immigration experience of many Dominicans in the United States should make that community particularly sensitive to the plight of the Haitian population in the Dominican Republic.Estela Vazquez, a Dominican immigrant and executive vice president of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, said the sometimes difficult immigration experience of many Dominicans in the United States should make that community particularly sensitive to the plight of the Haitian population in the Dominican Republic.
“We’ve seen what happens when you leave your country as an immigrant to another place and there have been obstacles and discrimination,” she said. “I think as Dominicans in the diaspora, we have a special responsibility to denounce what has happened in the Dominican Republic.”“We’ve seen what happens when you leave your country as an immigrant to another place and there have been obstacles and discrimination,” she said. “I think as Dominicans in the diaspora, we have a special responsibility to denounce what has happened in the Dominican Republic.”
Mr. Paulino added: “We are not just bystanders. We have felt the sting of policies that are anti-immigrant. God knows how many Dominicans have been deported to the Dominican Republic.”Mr. Paulino added: “We are not just bystanders. We have felt the sting of policies that are anti-immigrant. God knows how many Dominicans have been deported to the Dominican Republic.”
Activists in both the Dominican and Haitian populations in New York said this week that considering the shared repulsion to the court decision, they hoped to better coordinate their lobbies for change in the Dominican Republic.Activists in both the Dominican and Haitian populations in New York said this week that considering the shared repulsion to the court decision, they hoped to better coordinate their lobbies for change in the Dominican Republic.
Dominican community groups are reaching out to Haitian groups to participate in a coordinating meeting next month at the union’s offices in Manhattan, Ms. Vazquez saidDominican community groups are reaching out to Haitian groups to participate in a coordinating meeting next month at the union’s offices in Manhattan, Ms. Vazquez said
“I’m embarrassed and ashamed,” she said. “I feel compelled to stand with my Haitian brothers and sisters.”“I’m embarrassed and ashamed,” she said. “I feel compelled to stand with my Haitian brothers and sisters.”