"Border Shield" and Budget Cuts: Kast Administration Reverses Key Boric-Era Policies

Chile's new right-wing government cancels legal status for 182,000 migrants and halts the transformation of a Pinochet-era torture site into a memorial.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 6:23 AM EDT

Source: Buenos Aires Times

Immigration: The End of Regularization

The Chilean Migration Service confirmed that it will not proceed with a decree prepared by former president Gabriel Boric, which would have granted legal residency to 182,000 irregular migrants.

Key statistics regarding the current migration landscape in Chile (as of early 2026):

Undocumented Population: There are an estimated 337,000 foreign nationals currently lacking residency papers.

Total Foreign Residents: Approximately 1.6 million (8.8% of the total population).

Demographics: The majority of migrants and refugees originate from Venezuela (41.6%), followed by Peru, Haiti, Colombia, and Bolivia.