President José Antonio Kast Unveils Chilean Security and Migration Agenda

President José Antonio Kast announced a security-focused legislative agenda on Wednesday night to combat organized crime and irregular migration. The plan proposes a constitutional reform that would establish public safety as an explicit duty of the state and introduces tougher penalties for individuals belonging to criminal organizations.

To manage borders, the government intends to implement drone monitoring, construct trenches, extend immigration detention, and expand deportations. The agenda also includes the creation of a state agency tasked with seizing and destroying assets linked to organized crime and the deployment of a permanent police presence in the 50 neighborhoods with the highest crime rates.

This policy shift follows a difficult start to the administration, marked by the dismissal of the security minister and deportation rates that have lagged behind initial promises. Government data indicates 1,270 deportations were completed as of July 23.