Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, director general of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), conducted a supervisory tour of Santiago and Puerto Plata to assess the agency’s operational capacity in the northern Dominican Republic and coordinate efforts with civilian and military authorities involved in airport, port, and tourism security.
The visit began at the General Fernando Valerio Fortress, headquarters of the Dominican Army’s Second Infantry Brigade, where 165 new migration agents are undergoing training before joining the DGM’s migration enforcement teams across the Cibao region.
Focus on Modernizing Migration Controls
Lee Ballester later visited Cibao International Airport, where he met with migration inspectors, supervisors, members of the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESAC), airport authorities, and airline representatives to evaluate current immigration procedures and identify opportunities to improve passenger services.
During the visit, the migration chief said the institution is implementing a comprehensive modernization program aimed at improving border control through new technology.
“We are immersed in a comprehensive process to modernize the migration control system, using technological tools to become much more efficient in managing passenger flows,” Lee Ballester said.
Inspection Extends to Puerto Plata
The tour concluded in Puerto Plata, a major tourism destination on the country’s northern coast, where the DGM director met with officials at the Northern Air Command to review progress in migration enforcement operations.
Lee Ballester also visited Gregorio Luperón International Airport and inspected operations at the cruise ports and tourism complexes of Taíno Bay, Ocean World, and Amber Cove. The inspections focused on identifying opportunities to strengthen migration security while improving services for international travelers arriving in the region.
The visits form part of the agency’s broader efforts to enhance operational coordination and modernize migration management at key entry points serving the Dominican Republic’s tourism industry.