Project to facilitate administrative expulsions advances in Congress

Chilean lawmakers have made significant progress on a bill aimed at refining and simplifying the process for administrative expulsions. The Chamber of Deputies overwhelmingly approved most amendments from the Senate, advancing the administration's initiative to enhance immigration control measures.

The legislation introduces several key changes, including granting authorities the power to seek judicial orders for home searches. It also aims to reduce timelines for legal appeals and streamline police notification procedures. A new ground for expulsion, severe disruption of public order, has been added, alongside a proposal to substitute jail time with expulsion for first-time drug micro-trafficking offenses.

However, the bill is not without opposition. Parliamentarians from the Broad Front expressed reservations, reserving their constitutional rights due to disagreement with certain aspects of the approved text. A specific point of contention remains the minimum return period for expelled individuals, which will be decided by a mixed commission.

This push to expedite expulsions reflects a broader governmental effort to manage migration flows and maintain public order. The administration, initially led by former President Gabriel Boric, seeks to create a more efficient system for handling administrative removals, balancing security concerns with legal procedures.