yoa rayolanda's family is one o. a common problem of dominican families of haitian descent. >> reporter: yolanda's trying to secure a future for her siblings, in a desperate bid to remain in dominican republic, two of them took the step of trying to register as foreign workers despite being born here. jenny says there's no word on her application. if they succeed, they'll initially be allowed to stay for two years. takes us to other families nearby. it's a familiar tale. no news about their efforts to enroll in the government's program despite frequent calls and visits to government offices. that is, when they can even afford the trip. everyone here is on edge. all of them know someone who's been stopped by immigration officials or asked for their documents. some deported without warning, some without their children. now anyone who looks hasn't feels discriminated against, intimidated, and maybe they will leave the country on their own. >> thought he was safe when he registered this year as a foreign worker but he wa