CHILE · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —The country Chile’s government under President José Antonio Kast has made faster expulsions of irregular migrants a stated priority, and the 2027 budget bill puts money behind it.
- —What happened The proposed 2027 national budget would raise the National Migration Service’s overall allocation by 41.4%, with expulsion funding climbing 190% to about US$11.7 million.
- —Who is who SERMIG Director Frank Sauerbaum leads the agency; President José Antonio Kast’s government frames the policy as achieving ordered, safe and regular migration.
- —The numbers Expulsion funding would rise from CLP 4.0 billion (about US$4.0 million) in 2026 to CLP 11.604 billion (about US$11.7 million) in 2027; the 2026 allocation ran out by August and needed an extra CLP 1.752 billion (about US$1.8 million).
- —What it means for you Foreign residents and employers should expect stricter enforcement alongside a push to speed up visa and residence paperwork; the budget is a proposal until Congress votes.
- —Still open Congress must debate and approve the 2027 Budget Bill; implementation depends on transport, destination-country cooperation and legal procedures.
Chile’s National Migration Service would receive a 41.4% increase in its overall 2027 budget, with a sharp rise in funding for forced expulsions and document-processing modernisation. The proposal is in the government’s 2027 Budget Bill, CNN Chile reported on 3 October 2026. Exchange rates in this article use the RT spot rate of about 990 Chilean pesos (CLP) per US$1.
The most striking element is the expulsion allocation, which would climb from CLP 4.0 billion (about US$4.0 million) in 2026 to CLP 11.604 billion (about US$11.7 million) in 2027. That is a reported 190% increase, according to CNN Chile and La Tribuna. The sums are small in dollar terms, but they nearly triple the line.
What the Budget Proposal Contains
The Servicio Nacional de Migraciones, known as SERMIG, is Chile’s primary immigration agency. Its proposed 2027 budget would fund two main priorities: carrying out more expulsions and automating document processing with artificial intelligence.
SERMIG Director Frank Sauerbaum said the expulsion money would support commercial flights, charter flights, Chilean Air Force aircraft and land transfers. The agency receives approximately 400,000 applications annually, including visa, residence and regularization requests.
The 2026 expulsion allocation was exhausted by August, according to the reports. The Interior Ministry and Budget Office reportedly authorised an additional CLP 1.752 billion (about US$1.8 million) to cover the shortfall.
The Government’s Enforcement Record
By 30 September 2026, Chile had carried out 1,764 expulsions, both judicial and administrative, and recorded 10,197 voluntary departures. Authorities also reported a 93% fall in complaints of unauthorized border entry.
These are government figures and were not independently audited in the reports reviewed. The government presents higher expulsions as a security and enforcement priority under President José Antonio Kast.
Sauerbaum also linked the funding to migration bills expected to be submitted to Congress. Those bills would undergo separate congressional consideration from the budget itself.
What the Reports Do Not Say
The local reports reviewed do not provide opposition, civil-society or judicial criticism of the proposed increase. They also do not establish that additional funding guarantees removals.
Implementation will depend on available transport, identification of individuals, destination-country cooperation and legal procedures. A larger budget line does not by itself overcome those operational constraints.
For foreign residents and investors, the proposal signals a government determined to tighten enforcement while also speeding up legitimate applications. The automation push is meant to speed up document processing, which matters to the foreign residents and employers waiting on visas and residence permits.
What Comes Next
Congress must debate and approve the 2027 Budget Bill before any of the proposed figures become final. The government would then need to implement the appropriations, procure transport and deploy the automation system.
The budget debate will test how much legislative support exists for the enforcement-first approach. Any migration bills submitted separately will face their own congressional path. The same bill is already drawing fire elsewhere: see Chile Budget Education Cuts Draw Fire From Kast Allies.
For now, the proposal marks one of the clearest statements yet of the Kast government’s migration priorities: faster paperwork for those who qualify, and faster removals for those who do not. For background, read Chile Politics Explained, Who Holds Power in 2026, our report on the migrant detention reform and the Senate vote count, and the rest of our Chile coverage.
How much would Chile’s migration budget rise in 2027?
The proposed 2027 budget would raise SERMIG’s overall allocation by 41.4%, with expulsion funding climbing from CLP 4.0 billion (about US$4.0 million) to CLP 11.604 billion (about US$11.7 million).
Who is Frank Sauerbaum?
Frank Sauerbaum is the director of Chile’s National Migration Service, known as SERMIG, and has outlined how the proposed expulsion funding would be used.
How many expulsions has Chile carried out in 2026?
By 30 September 2026, Chile had carried out 1,764 judicial and administrative expulsions and recorded 10,197 voluntary departures, according to government figures.
Has the 2027 budget been approved?
No, Congress must still debate and approve the 2027 Budget Bill before the proposed figures become final.
Sources: CNN Chile, La Tribuna, ADN Radio, El Dínamo. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
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