citizens and Haitian migrants who have lived in the country for years.108 DxD denounced the arrest and detention for several hours of a 15-year-old Dominican teenager of Haitian descent when she, nine months pregnant, was undergoing prenatal consultation at a hospital. The teenager is still waiting for her nationality.109 Under a new Protocol for the repatriation of pregnant foreigners, the Government alleges that these deportations would only be carried out when it is “medically safe” to do so.110 However, this protocol is incompatible with the prohibition of detention of pregnant women,111 in addition to the fact that it is not applied systematically; for example, a case was documented of a woman who went into labour in a DGM vehicle after being taken from a maternity ward to be deported.112 Therefore, the Dominican Republic has fulfilled with the recommendations on the avoidance of arbitrary expulsions and respect of the rights of deported people. 25. These immigration policies also expose Dominicans of Haitian descent and migrants to situations of human trafficking. The lack of access to their nationality for denationalized Dominican people and the non-renewal of permits obtained under the PNRE limit the access of these people to the labour market and, consequently, increases the risk of them being victims of trafficking.113 Likewise, restrictive immigration policies force migrants to seek alternative, irregular and more dangerous routes to enter the country.114 These policies contribute to the cycle of violence against women, who are often victims of sexual violence by traffickers on the way to the Dominican Republic before being sold for labour, sexual exploitation or servile marriage.115 The DGM's persecution against Haitians makes it impossible to identify female victims of trafficking, leaving them in a situation of lack of protection.116 Likewise, the lack of application of protocol policies for the identification of children and adolescents with protection needs in border areas increases the risk of trafficking.117 Traffickers have the complicity of Dominican officials to facilitate the transfer of people in an irregular situation.118 The US State Department identified unequal treatment of Haitian victims or victims of Haitian descent, who do not have access to justice, are not examined and do not receive assistance from Dominican authorities.119 In light of this information, it is evident that the recommendations made in the previous cycle for a more effective fight against migrant trafficking have not been fully implemented. VI. Limited access to social services for people of Haitian descent 108 OBMICA. Status of Migrations Concerning the Dominican Republic. 2021.p. 347 D.W.Spanish. Haitians deported from the delivery room. August 17, 2023, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVD1QO-bBrU;Dominicans by Law. A pregnant Dominican teenager was detained and about to be expelled by immigration. Available at: https://dominicanosxderecho.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/adolescente-dominicanaembarazada-estuvo-detenida-ya-punto-de-ser-expulsada-pormigracion/?fbclid=IwAR3dV0OlRPWGtqiKZuSQ4187ewXRAnwk7Ytoq27b6V9oiCU53yGS5qzEx 2M, last access: August 14, 2023. 110 OBMICA. Status of Migrations Concerning the Dominican Republic. 2021. P. 349. 111 OBMICA. Dignified treatment: New challenges for Due Process in Deportations from the Dominican Republic. February, 2023. P. 27. 112 OBMICA. Status of Migrations Concerning the Dominican Republic. 2021. P. 350. 113 US Department of State Dominican Republic: Human Trafficking Report. 2022. 114 INMRD, Foreign Children and Adolescents in situation or risk of trafficking in the Dominican Republic from the perspective of key actors. March 2022. P. 184. 115 INMRD, Qualitative study on trafficking in foreign women in the Dominican Republic. 2021. P. 210. 116 Ibid, p. 216. 117 INMRD, Foreign Children and Adolescents in situation or risk of trafficking in the Dominican Republic from the perspective of key actors. March 2022. P. 184;OBMICA and UNICEF, A new look at children on the move on the Dominican-Haitian border, May 31, 2023, p. 7. 118 US Department of State Dominican Republic: Human Trafficking Report. 2022. 119 Ibid. 109 10