Key Facts
—What. Chile has carried out 1,874 expulsions of foreigners in 2026, as of early October.
—Latest flight. A tenth expulsion flight under President José Antonio Kast carried 56 people: 21 Colombians, 20 Bolivians and 15 Ecuadorians.
—How. Of the 56, 45 were removed by administrative order and 11 by court order; the flight left Santiago airport at 1:25 a.m. Chile time.
—Why it matters. Chile is a close US security partner and the only Latin American country in the US Visa Waiver Program; its removals policy follows the American debate.
—Still unknown. How the 1,874 figure divides by nationality for the full year.
—Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 63.6 points (October 2026 edition).
Chile has expelled 1,874 foreigners so far in 2026, according to figures reported with its tenth expulsion flight under President José Antonio Kast, on Saturday 10 October. The flight carried 56 people to their home countries.
Kast, a conservative who took office on 11 March, made faster removals a pillar of his government. For US readers, Chile is a close security partner of Washington, and it is the only Latin American country in the US Visa Waiver Program.
The Tenth Flight
The flight left Santiago’s airport at 1:25 a.m. Chile time on Saturday 10 October with 21 Colombians, 20 Bolivians and 15 Ecuadorians, Radio Agricultura and El Comercio reported. Forty-five of the 56 were removed by administrative order, and 11 by court order.
Chile counts the flight as the tenth since Kast took office. The government has flown people out in groups, including a flight on 30 September to Peru and Colombia with 32 Colombians and eight Peruvians, according to the National Migration Service.
The Running Total
By 30 September the total had reached 1,764 expulsions in 2026, of which 1,468 came after Kast took office on 11 March, the Migration Service said. On 24 May, a flight with 80 people brought the total to 780.
A police report put expulsions in January to July at 1,330, of which 1,183 were administrative and 147 judicial. That was a 76% rise on a year earlier, BioBioChile reported.
Fewer Crossings, More Removals
The same report said detections of irregular entries fell 86% in January to July, to 1,175 from 8,610 a year earlier. Colombians led expulsions in that period, with 549 of the 1,330.
Chile’s 2024 census counted 1,608,650 foreign-born residents, 8.8% of the population, and Venezuelans were the largest group at 669,408. That scale explains why migration sits so high on the political agenda.
Shield of the Americas
Chile’s government confirmed on 22 September that the country has joined the US-led Shield of the Americas anti-cartel coalition, which President Donald Trump launched in March. It is described as a framework for voluntary coordination, including intelligence sharing, joint training and help with maritime surveillance.
The accession links Chile’s security policy to Washington’s, alongside the migration agenda.
What It Means for You
People with valid residency in Chile are not affected by these removals, which target people with administrative or judicial expulsion orders. Chileans, for their part, can travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
The government’s next legal step is a bill that would speed up expulsions further, which the lower house passed on 19 October. See our report on the vote, our report on foreign prisoners and the Chile page.
What Is Not Known
The reports we reviewed do not give a nationality breakdown for all 1,874 expulsions. They also do not say how many of the people removed had criminal records overall.
It is not known whether the pace of one flight every few weeks will hold if the new bill becomes law. The Senate has yet to vote on it.
Sources
Radio Agricultura · El Comercio (Ecuador) · Servicio Nacional de Migraciones · BioBioChile · Emol · El Dínamo
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Frequently Asked Questions
How many foreigners has Chile expelled in 2026?
Chile had carried out 1,874 expulsions as of early October 2026, according to reports tied to its tenth flight under President Kast. Colombians led the January to July statistics, with 549 of 1,330.
Who was on the latest flight?
The 10 October flight carried 56 people: 21 Colombians, 20 Bolivians and 15 Ecuadorians. Forty-five were removed administratively and 11 by court order.
Have irregular entries into Chile fallen?
A police report said detections of irregular entries fell 86% in January to July 2026, to 1,175 from 8,610. Expulsions rose 76% over the same period.
What is the Shield of the Americas?
It is a US-led anti-cartel coalition launched by President Trump in March 2026, and Chile has joined it. Chile’s foreign ministry describes it as a framework for voluntary coordination.