The Dominican Republic has plans to swiftly complete a 250-mile border wall along its shared boundary with Haiti on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, an attempt to protect the country as its land neighbor falls into further chaos.

Dominican President Luis Abinader is surging soldiers and construction resources to seal off the border as conditions on the west side of the island have slid into a state of anarchy in recent weeks as gangs and warlords have further clenched control of Haiti.