Key Facts
—Who. Chile’s Chamber of Deputies, the lower house, approved the bill by 128 votes to 11.
—What. The bill speeds up administrative expulsions of foreigners who are in the country irregularly.
—When. The vote took place on Monday 19 October 2026; the Senate is next, with a vote reported as expected on Tuesday 20 October.
—Why it matters. Chile is a close US security partner, and the bill echoes the American debate over faster removals of people with final orders.
—Still unknown. Whether the Senate approves the joint committee’s text.
—Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 63.6 points (October 2026 edition).
Chile’s Chamber of Deputies approved the final text of a bill on Monday 19 October that would speed up the expulsion of foreigners living in the country irregularly. The vote was 128 in favour and 11 against, on a text agreed by a joint committee of both chambers, and it now goes to the Senate.
The bill began under former president Gabriel Boric and was reworked under President José Antonio Kast, a conservative who put crime and migration at the top of his agenda. For US readers, it mirrors a debate in Washington over how quickly people with final removal orders can be sent home.
What the Bill Changes
Police could ask a judge for written permission to enter a home solely to arrest a person who has a final expulsion order. The judge would have to rule on the request within 24 hours.
The deadline to challenge an expulsion would fall from 10 days to five, and the minimum ban on returning would rise from three years to five in specified cases. Expulsion orders would stay in force until they are carried out.
Faster Removals and New Powers
Foreigners in the country irregularly who are charged with lesser offences, punishable by up to three years in prison and with no prior convictions, could be expelled at once. Their criminal case would be suspended for three years while the expulsion is carried out.
The National Migration Service could ask individuals, companies and public officials for a person’s name, address and email so it can serve expulsion decisions. Requests about children and adolescents, schools and health facilities would be excluded.
Safeguards and Coordination
Expulsions and home entries would have to be coordinated with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, so that they do not compromise criminal investigations or victims’ rights. The bill also adds mandatory biometric registration for adult offenders and makes serious disturbances to public order a ground for administrative expulsion.
Deputy Javier Olivares said in the debate that more than 30,000 expulsion orders are pending, according to Chilean press reports. That figure is a lawmaker’s claim rather than an official count.
A Separate Reform Fell Short
A related constitutional reform on detaining migrants while expulsions are arranged failed on 22 September. It won 88 votes in favour, 28 against and 19 abstentions, one vote short of the 89 required.
That vote shows how narrow the margin can be for migration measures that need special majorities. Our report on Chile’s plan to expel foreign prisoners covers the government’s wider approach, and our Chile page tracks the Kast government.
What It Means for You
Chile is a leading destination for migrants from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, so faster expulsions would be felt in those countries first. Visitors and residents with valid papers are not the target of the bill.
Companies and public officials could receive more requests for personal data if the information power survives in the Senate. Foreign nationals with irregular status would have less time to appeal.
What Is Not Known
The Senate had not voted at the time of writing, and it is not known whether it will approve the joint committee’s text. A rejection would delay the new rules.
It is also unclear how many of the orders already issued the police could execute under the new rules. The reports we reviewed do not give an estimate.
Sources
CNN Chile · La Tercera · Pauta · Senado de Chile · BioBioChile
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
What did Chile’s lower house approve?
It approved the final text of a bill to speed up administrative expulsions of foreigners in irregular status. The vote on 19 October 2026 was 128 in favour and 11 against.
What happens next?
The Senate is due to vote on the joint committee’s text, and a vote was reported as expected on Tuesday 20 October. At the time of writing, no result had been reported.
How would police enter homes under the bill?
Police would need written permission from a judge to enter a home solely to arrest a person with a final expulsion order. The judge would have to decide within 24 hours.
How long would a migrant have to appeal?
The deadline to challenge an expulsion would fall from 10 days to five. Filing a challenge would no longer automatically halt the expulsion.