Chile records record 1,174 migrant expulsions in 2026

The government of President José Antonio Kast announced that 1,174 foreign nationals were expelled from Chile in 2026, the highest annual total recorded under the current administration. The figure includes the seventh repatriation flight since March, which carried 40 people to Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. Of the 40, 28 were removed under administrative procedures and 12 following criminal convictions for offenses such as violent robbery, weapon possession, drug‑law violations and sexual abuse.

The expulsions break down by nationality: 20 Colombians, 13 Bolivians and 8 Ecuadorians on the latest flight, with a cumulative total for the year of 1,174. The Interior Ministry's sub‑secretary Máximo Pavez said that the pace of removals in the first four months equals one‑third of all flights carried out in the previous government’s four‑year term. Officials also reported 6,384 voluntary departures and a decline in irregular entries, with only about 2,700 clandestine arrivals recorded so far in 2026.

The surge follows the administration’s “Plan Escudo Fronterizo,” which seeks tighter border control and proposes new legislation to criminalise irregular migration. Over 330,000 foreigners are currently in irregular status in Chile, and roughly half of the pending 75,000 expulsion orders involve Venezuelan nationals, amid strained bilateral relations.