CHILE · US DEPORTATIONS
Key Facts
- What happened Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Wednesday 4 November 2026 that US deportations will continue.
- The trigger Democrats won the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections held on Tuesday 3 November 2026.
- The scale An independent research group counts about 980,000 deportations from 20 January 2025 to 31 July 2026.
- Chile link Chile’s own government has run removal flights since April 2026 under conservative President José Antonio Kast.
- Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 63.6 points (October 2026 edition).
The US government says deportations will continue even after voters handed Democrats control of the House of Representatives. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the cabinet member who runs immigration enforcement, wrote “Deportations will continue” on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
He posted the message one day after the US midterm elections, the national vote held halfway through a president’s four-year term. For readers in Chile and across Latin America, it means removal flights are not about to stop.
What Mullin Said and When
Mullin leads the Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency that oversees ICE, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, and the border agencies. He made the statement on Wednesday 4 November 2026, a day after Election Day.
Tuesday’s vote went badly for the Republican Party of President Donald Trump, and Democrats won the House of Representatives. The House is the larger chamber of Congress and must pass every federal spending bill.
Why the Vote Does Not Stop Removals
A new House majority does not take office until January, and immigration enforcement is run by the executive branch, not by Congress. See our report on the House result and how Colombia watched the vote.
Democrats can use hearings and spending bills to push back once they take their seats. Until then, decisions on arrests and flights stay with the Homeland Security Department.
The Numbers Behind the Policy
The Migration Policy Institute, an independent research group, counts about 980,000 deportations from 20 January 2025 to 31 July 2026. It projects about 660,000 deportations for the budget year that ended on 30 September 2026.
About 80 percent of the people deported in that period had no criminal conviction, the institute says. Among people with at least two years of US residence, the share without a conviction was 71 percent.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
Markwayne Mullin is the US Homeland Security Secretary, a post that puts him in charge of ICE and the border agencies. The Migration Policy Institute studies migration and publishes its own estimates because federal data are incomplete.
A deportation, also called a removal, is the forced return of a non-citizen to another country. A self-departure is when a person leaves on their own, often because of fear of enforcement.
How Chile Fits In
Conservative President José Antonio Kast took office on 11 March 2026. His government flew 40 migrants out on 16 April 2026, its first deportation flight.
Chile sent its eleventh charter flight on Friday 23 October 2026 with 75 foreigners from Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Our earlier reports on Chile’s latest deportation flight and its tougher migration rules describe how the Kast government has since hardened its rules.
What It Means for You
If you are a non-citizen living in the United States, the election result does not change the enforcement picture this month. Check your own papers and keep contact details for an immigration lawyer.
If you hold shares in US-listed firms with Latin American staff, expect labor shortages and policy noise to continue. Travelers with Latin American passports should expect the same border checks as before the vote.
What Is Not Known
Mullin gave no new targets, dates or budget figures in his short message. It is not clear whether the Trump administration will change its tactics after the election loss.
How a Democratic House will use its power over spending on immigration is still open. Court rulings on specific programs could also change what agents are allowed to do.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the US say deportations will continue after the midterms?
Yes, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote so on Wednesday 4 November 2026. He gave no new numbers or dates.
How many people has the US deported under President Trump’s second term?
The Migration Policy Institute counts about 980,000 deportations from 20 January 2025 to 31 July 2026. About 80 percent had no criminal conviction, it says.
Can Democrats stop the deportations right away?
Not right away. The new House majority takes office in January, and enforcement is run by the executive branch, so Democrats can mainly use hearings and spending bills.
What does this have to do with Chile?
Chile runs its own removal flights under President José Antonio Kast. The US stance also shapes migration pressure across Latin America.
Sources: Statement by US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on X, 4 November 2026; Migration Policy Institute, US Deportations and Self-Deportations in the First 18 Months of the Second Trump Term, October 2026; Official US House election results, midterm elections, 5 November 2026; Government of Chile, deportation flight announcements, April to 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