Dominican Republic Stays Tier 2 on US Trafficking List

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · US RELATIONS

The upgrade the government announced on Thursday happened a year ago, and the new report flags weaker work on forced labour.

Washington kept the Dominican Republic on Tier 2 in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, released on Thursday, 8 October. Tier 2 is the middle grade, for governments that fall short of minimum standards but make significant efforts.

The Dominican government told the public something different. Its Presidency said on Thursday evening that the country had risen to Tier 2, quoting figures from the 2025 report.

For Americans, the grade matters because a Tier 3 ranking can restrict US aid. The US trafficking report also names the country as a destination for child sex offenders, primarily from North America and Europe.

What the US Trafficking Report Says

The State Department grades governments each year under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. The 2026 edition mostly uses Dominican data for 2025.

It says the government showed “overall increasing efforts” and “remained on Tier 2.” The 2025 report, published on Monday, 29 September 2025, said it “was upgraded to Tier 2.”

Washington credits a July 2025 amendment to Law 137-03, the anti-trafficking law. It raised the basic prison term from 15–20 years to 20–25 years and scrapped the statute of limitations.

In January 2026, the government also created a special investigation unit inside PETT, the specialised anti-trafficking prosecutor’s office.

Fewer Cases, More Convictions

Authorities opened 94 trafficking investigations in 2025, down from 229 in 2024. Of the new cases, 85 concerned sex trafficking and eight forced labour.

Prosecutions rose to 73 alleged traffickers from 50. Courts convicted 30 traffickers, up from 11, with prison terms from six months to 20 years.

One of those convicted was a national police official, sentenced to 20 years for sex trafficking.

The government identified 139 victims, 106 of them Colombians, against 136 a year earlier. Only one was a forced labour victim, down from 13.

The government gave its 2025–2028 national action plan 432 million pesos (about US$7.2 million). PETT received 39.4 million pesos (about US$662,000); both US$ values are the report’s own.

Where Washington Sees Gaps

The report says efforts against labour trafficking “remained inadequate,” including in sectors with known forced labour risks. Labour inspectors did not routinely refer forced labour cases to prosecutors.

A pilot scheme giving migrant workers, mainly cane cutters, registered contracts that shield them from deportation “remained under review.”

Observers alleged that some officials sought bribes from foreigners trying to avoid deportation. Overall, prevention efforts “slightly decreased,” the report says.

How the Upgrade Claim Arose

The Presidency’s release, posted at 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, said the country was “subiendo al Nivel 2” (rising to Tier 2). It attributed the ranking to “the most recent report” published by the US Embassy.

Its figures include 229 investigations, 50 prosecutions, eight officials investigated, 1,050 labour inspections and 136 victims. All match the 2025 report’s data for 2024, and none of the 2026 figures appear.

El Nacional, a Santo Domingo daily, carried the same claim and figures on Thursday evening.

What It Means for You

Staying on Tier 2 keeps the Dominican Republic clear of trafficking-related US aid limits. Those apply only to Tier 3 governments, and the president can waive them.

For US travellers, the report says traffickers exploit teenage girls on streets, in parks and on beaches. Most foreign child sex offenders come from North America and Europe, it adds.

For US importers, the report lists coffee and sugar among sectors where traffickers exploit people, a flag for supply chain checks.

What Is Not Known

The report does not explain why investigations fell from 229 to 94, or whether counting methods changed.

It is unclear whether the Presidency confused the two reports or chose older figures. Early on Friday, its release still described an upgrade, and it had not commented on the 2026 data.

What Comes Next

The 2027 report will assess 2026, the first full year of the new PETT investigation unit. Expanding the migrant worker pilot is one clear test.

The Tier 2 grade does not bring new US penalties or new benefits. To reach Tier 1, the government would have to fully meet US minimum standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tier 2 mean in the US trafficking report?

It covers governments that do not fully meet US minimum standards but are making significant efforts to do so. It sits between Tier 1, the top grade, and the Tier 2 Watch List.

Was the Dominican Republic upgraded this year?

No. The 2026 report says it “remained on Tier 2”; the upgrade to Tier 2 came in the 2025 report.

How many trafficking cases did the country handle in 2025?

It opened 94 investigations, prosecuted 73 alleged traffickers and convicted 30. It identified 139 victims, 106 of them Colombian nationals.

Does the ranking affect Americans visiting the Dominican Republic?

It does not change US travel advice or entry rules. The report does warn that foreign offenders, mainly from North America and Europe, travel there to sexually exploit children.

Sources: US State Department, 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic; US State Department, 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report; US State Department, 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report: Dominican Republic; US State Department, TIP reports index; Presidencia de la República Dominicana; El Nacional (all accessed 9 October 2026).