Dominican Republic president has sympathy, but no specifics to those facing citizenship loss

A soldier from the Dominican Republic speaks from behind a cutout in the door of the DR's embassy with a Haitian demonstrator protesting the DR's new law that denies citizenship to the children of Haitian migrants living in the Dominican Republic, in Petion-Ville, Haiti, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. In September, the Dominican Republic's Constitutional Court ruled that it will block citizenship for thousands of people born to immigrants without residency permits since 1929. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

A demonstrator holds up a sign that reads in Creole, French and Spanish "Brothers! No to racism. An island for two people. Leaders of Haiti: we are tired of taking donations from other countries," at a demonstration outside the Dominican Republic's embassy to protest the country's new law that denies citizenship to the children of Haitian migrants living in the Dominican Republic, in Petion-Ville, Haiti, Tuesday Oct. 8, 2013. In September, the Dominican Republic's Constitutional Court ruled that it will block citizenship for thousands of people born to immigrants without residency permits since 1929. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

Demonstrators chant slogans outside the Dominican Republic's embassy to protest the country's new law that denies citizenship to the children of Haitian migrants living in the Dominican Republic, in Petion-Ville, Haiti, Tuesday Oct. 8, 2013. In September, the Dominican Republic's Constitutional Court ruled that it will block citizenship for thousands of people born to immigrants without residency permits since 1929. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) (The Associated Press)

The Dominican Republic's president is expressing sympathy for people facing the loss of citizenship because of a recent court ruling.

President Danilo Medina says he will seek to help those affected by the ruling but has given no specific plans in his first public comments on the decision.

The president spoke Tuesday, a day after he met with advocates for people who are being rendered stateless by the Sept. 23 ruling. Medina says he was saddened to hear about the human toll of the ruling, such as accounts of students who will not be able to attend school.

The Constitutional Court ordered the Electoral Board to annul the citizenship of anyone born in the country to non-citizens after 1929. It affects up to 200,000 people, mostly people of Haitian descent.