(2025-08) Study on the Reintegration of Deported Migrants in Haiti: Analysis of the First Panel Survey Round
Summary — The first round of an IOM panel study comparing recently deported Haitians with non-deported residents on security, institutional trust, migration intentions, and economic and social integration, based on a phone survey of 3,531 people conducted between December 2024 and May 2025.
Key Findings
- Both deported and non-deported Haitians report very low security and very low trust in state and non-state institutions. Relative to non-deportees, deportees hold fewer assets, work fewer hours, and score lower on dignity, social and political integration, and mental health; about half of all respondents report symptoms of depression or anxiety. Deportees report slightly stronger migration intentions but fewer resources, and those who suffered more harm during deportation more often feel unsafe and use negative coping strategies such as skipping meals or early marriage.
Full Description
This report presents results from the first wave of an IOM panel study of reintegration among Haitians recently deported to Haiti, comparing them with a sample of non-deported residents. Between 16 December 2024 and 19 May 2025, IOM Haiti surveyed 3,531 Haitians by phone (1,237 deported and 2,294 not deported, by self-reported migration history), and reports summary statistics alongside regression analyses that control for sex, age, education, household size and department. It finds that both groups face high insecurity and very low trust in state and non-state institutions; that deportees report slightly stronger intentions to migrate but fewer resources to do so; and that, relative to non-deportees, deportees hold fewer assets, are less integrated into the labour market, and score lower on indices of dignity, social and political integration and mental health, with about half of all respondents reporting symptoms consistent with depression or anxiety. Deportees who suffered greater harms during deportation more often report feeling unsafe and resorting to negative coping strategies. The findings are descriptive, not causal, and the study is a joint project with university partners that will track the same individuals over time.