The Dominican Republic has quietly enlisted Washington-based lobbyists DGA Group Government Relations on a year-long advisory mandate aimed at reshaping Santo Domingo’s global reputation and tightening links with the White House.
Awarded under a sole-source arrangement managed by the Ministry of the Presidency, the contract positions DGA Group to steer strategy on border security, immigration policy, counter-narcotics and anti-trafficking measures, while supplying human-rights briefings to senior officials.
According to internal briefing notes, the administration hopes the partnership will blunt recent international blow-back over its treatment of Haitian migrants—particularly the expulsion of expectant or nursing mothers—and project a more “proactive humanitarian stance” ahead of multilateral reviews later this year.
The brief also tasks DGA Group with leveraging its Capitol Hill network to improve dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump’s team and to press for the elimination of a 10 per cent tariff currently levied on Dominican exports. Officials argue that scrapping the duty would free up cash for domestic security programmes.
Government spokespeople have defended the no-bid route, citing the need for “rapid, specialised intervention” as migration pressures escalate. Opposition legislators, however, have demanded fuller disclosure of the contract terms and measurable benchmarks for success.
DGA Group is scheduled to deliver its first progress report to the Ministry in sixty days.
