Chile's MAGA-inspired border control
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- Chilean President José Antonio Kast has launched a border barrier project along the northern frontier with Peru and Bolivia, involving trenches, surveillance technology, and plans for walls to curb illegal immigration and combat drug trafficking and smuggling.
- The initiative reflects Kast's hardline immigration stance, which helped him win the presidency, though actual deportations so far have been limited, with only 40 people expelled on one flight.
- Illegal border crossings have been declining, with 1,746 attempts in 2025 compared to 2,460 in 2024, while attempts to leave Chile irregularly have increased significantly.
- The border barrier includes trenches that are subject to maintenance challenges such as sand accumulation, and authorities remain vigilant against efforts to bypass or fill in the ditches.
- Critics question the effectiveness of the barrier given Chile's extensive and porous borders, and the government is pursuing legislation to criminalize illegal entry and restrict immigrant access to social benefits.