‘You are Nobody’

Thousands find themselves stateless in the Dominican Republic, without a country to call their own.

A Place to Cross

Border markets provide passage for undocumented immigrants two days a week.

Cheap Labor

Despite an official stance against illegal immigration, demand for low-paid Haitian workers has not abated.

Fight for Citizenship

Dark skin and “strange” name lead to landmark ruling for those seeking birthright citizenship.

Newborn and Stateless

Haitian women cross the border to give birth, putting their children in citizenship limbo.

Dying in Childbirth

Haitian women, many already in labor, are taxing an already stressed health care system.

Educational Roadblock

Without proper documentation, thousands of Haitian youngsters find their education blocked after grade school.

Laws of God
and Country

Religious groups extending help to poor Haitian immigrants find themselves in opposition to the government.

Coffee and Clothing

Two business ventures are testing new approaches to labor and markets that could diversify the Dominican economy.

The Street Children

Hundreds of children live out their lives on the treacherous streets of the capital city of Santo Domingo.

HIV Roulette

Despite one of the highest HIV rates in the world, HIV funding on the island of Hispaniola is in jeopardy.

Dirty Water

Contaminated water supplies threaten the health of the country's impoverished residents.

Documentary:
Stateless in the Dominican Republic

A 30-minute documentary produced by Cronkite students tells the stories of statelessness in the Dominican Republic.

Where do I belong? What country will claim me? In the Dominican Republic, these are not stale abstractions but questions vital to many of the country’s Haitian residents. With the Dominican government aggressively enforcing stringent anti-immigration policies, thousands are being stripped of their citizenship, their homes and their futures. They are the stateless. These are their stories.

Thousands Find Themselves Stateless in the Dominican Republic

‘You are Nobody’

Thousands find themselves stateless in the Dominican Republic, without a country to call their own.
Border Markets Provide Passage for Undocumented Immigrants

A Place to Cross

Border markets provide passage for undocumented immigrants two days a week.
Illegal Haitian Workers in Demand

Cheap Labor

Despite an official stance against illegal immigration, demand for low-paid Haitian workers has not abated.
Dark Skin and ‘Strange’ Name Lead to Landmark Ruling

Fight for Citizenship

Dark skin and “strange” name lead to landmark ruling for those seeking birthright citizenship.
Haitian Women Cross Border to Give Birth

Newborn and Stateless

Haitian women cross the border to give birth, putting their children in citizenship limbo.
High Numbers of Maternal Deaths Plague Health System

Dying in Childbirth

Haitian women, many already in labor, are taxing an already stressed health care system.
Educating Children Proves Daunting Challenge

Educational Roadblock

Without proper documentation, thousands of Haitian youngsters find their education blocked after grade school.
Religious Weigh God’s Law against Country’s Law

Laws of God and Country

Religious groups extending help to poor Haitian immigrants find themselves in opposition to the government.
Coffee and Clothing: Two Ways to Diversify an Economy

Coffee and Clothing

Two business ventures are testing new approaches to labor and markets that could diversify the Dominican economy.
Children Live on the Streets in Santo Domingo

The Street Children

Hundreds of children live out their lives on the treacherous streets of the capital city of Santo Domingo.
Island of Hispaniola Struggles to Control HIV

HIV Roulette

Despite one of the highest HIV rates in the world, HIV funding on the island of Hispaniola is in jeopardy.
Dirty and Dangerous Water Threatens Country’s Health

Dirty Water

Contaminated water supplies threaten the health of the country's impoverished residents.
Stateless in the Dominican Republic

Documentary:
Stateless in the Dominican Republic

This 30-minute documentary tells the stories of statelessness in the Dominican Republic, touching on each of the stories in this project. Produced by Cronkite students, it provides an inside look at their experiences covering immigration and border issues along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The Cronkite School has been covering immigration and border issues since 2006 with the generous support of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

Buffett student projects include: South Africa: At the Crossroads of Hate and Hope | South Africa Documentary | Borderlands Photo Essays | Divided Families (PDF) | Divided Families Documentary | Children of the Borderlands | South Africa Project

 

Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University | Creative Commons License