Chile enacted controversial immigration law aimed at facilitating deportations

Under the motto of “Clean the house”, the government of Chile promulgated this Sunday the new migration law which took 8 years to be approved and which received a barrage of criticism from the opposition and promising organizations for having imposed a greater “Rigid” borders and accelerated expulsions.

“The objective is to put our house in order through an orderly, safe and regular policy that allows legal immigration and the fight against illegal immigration”, said the president, Sebastián Piñera.

The new law, entered in 2013 in Parliament by the current president during his first term, from 2010 to 2014, seeks to facilitate deportations and requires obtaining a visa in the country of origin in order to prevent foreigners from entering as tourists and change their immigration status to be able to seek employment.

A controversial law

The standard is approved the past December in Parliament after a deceptive discussion. In January, a group of left-wing opposition MPs lodged an injunction with the Constitutional Court considering “Unconstitutional” several articles that the executive considered “essential”.

The highest court opposed six articles, including the one which prohibits depriving a person who has obtained an expulsion order for 72 hours and, on the other hand, the article which regulates the assistance in the return of children. and adolescents.

Initially, the standard established that “Unaccompanied” minors could “be subject to an assisted return procedure to the country of which they are nationals”, but this was rejected by the court.

While for the party in power, this new regulation is the way to cope with the growing migratory phenomenon, the The opposition believes that the tightening of borders will lead to an increase in the number of migrants crossing unauthorized crossings. “This law represents a closure of possibilities for migrant workers and goes against the progress of bilateral agreements in the region,” said Rodolfo Noriega, secretary general of the National Coordinator of Immigrants in Chile.

MIGRATION ARROW

The enactment of the law comes at a time of a migratory boom, in northern border, between Chile and Bolivia, where during February and March the entrance of thousands of irregular immigrants what caused the collapse of several small border towns.

The shortage of supplies, clashes between authorities and migrant groups and the health crisis caused by Covid-19 created a climate of maximum tension in the region, which worsened with the deaths of five foreigners.

The Government has authorized the deployment of armed forces to combat the smuggling of migrants at this point of the border, where the “Coyotes” They instruct those who are interested to guide them so that they cross from one country to another.

Despite the covid-19 pandemic and the social crisis that lasted for more than a year, Chile remains one of the countries more attractive migrate to Latin America for its political and economic stability.

According to the Department of Immigration and Migration, there is 1.4 million immigrants in Chile, which is equivalent to more than 7% of the population and Venezuelans are the most numerous, followed by Peruvians, Haitians and Colombians.

KEEP READING: