The Caribbean island of Hispaniola is shared by rich and poor: Haiti in the west, the Dominican Republic in the east. Haitians have always sought work in the Dominican Republic, where they were and are urgently needed.

Haiti, however, has been hit by natural disasters, earthquakes and hurricanes for decades, and the situation has worsened in recent years: Gang wars on the open streets, demonstrations against the government, poverty, hunger, the naked need....

So more and more Haitians are seeking their fortune in the Dominican Republic, some legally and many illegally - far too many in the opinion of President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona. That is why he is now having a wall built on the border. The basic structure of the Dominican bulwark against Haitians who want to escape the misery and chaos in their own country is already in place on 50 of the 380 km long common borderline. But smugglers still find loopholes and bribe border officials to bring Haitians into the country. But whether legal or illegal, the Dominican migration police hunt Haitians down. They organise deportations to Haiti - against the recommendation of the UN - use empty factory halls without seating or sleeping facilities and sanitary facilities as collection camps and even deport children without their parents.