Critical services in Haiti strained amid spike in deportations
Key Points(5)
- According to OCHA, nearly half of the more than 121,000 Haitians deported from the Dominican Republic in 2025 have entered Haiti through Belladère, overwhelming already stretched reception facilities and exposing significant gaps in humanitarian response.
- During a recent joint mission with UN agencies and protection partners, humanitarian teams observed firsthand the growing needs of newly arrived families, including unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence.
- One particularly troubling case involved a pregnant 14-year-old girl who has spent three months in an overcrowded shelter while trying to reconnect with her family.
- Belladère is also sheltering people fleeing gang violence in nearby Mirebalais, compounding the strain on food, health care, and protection services.
- Humanitarian agencies are offering hot meals, cash assistance, medical supplies, and protection services, but say the needs far exceed current resources.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is warning that critical services in the Haitian border town of Belladère are under immense pressure, as a growing number of displaced families and deported migrants arrive daily.
According to OCHA, nearly half of the more than 121,000 Haitians deported from the Dominican Republic in 2025 have entered Haiti through Belladère, overwhelming already stretched reception facilities and exposing significant gaps in humanitarian response.
During a recent joint mission with UN agencies and protection partners, humanitarian teams observed firsthand the growing needs of newly arrived families, including unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence. One particularly troubling case involved a pregnant 14-year-old girl who has spent three months in an overcrowded shelter while trying to reconnect with her family.
Belladère is also sheltering people fleeing gang violence in nearby Mirebalais, compounding the strain on food, health care, and protection services. Humanitarian agencies are offering hot meals, cash assistance, medical supplies, and protection services, but say the needs far exceed current resources.
“Immediate priorities include expanding the capacity of reception centers, safeguarding unaccompanied and separated children, and bolstering support for vulnerable deported migrants and displaced families,” OCHA said in a statement.
The situation is being made worse by severe underfunding. Haiti’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan is currently the least funded humanitarian plan in the world, with less than $75 million received—just 8 percent of the $908 million needed. This shortfall is limiting the ability of humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving aid in high-risk areas like Belladère.
OCHA emphasized its continued coordination with national authorities, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations to protect vulnerable communities and ensure that the rights to safety and dignity remain central to the humanitarian response.
