Between humanitarianism and security: the reorganization of border control in Chile (2010-2022)

Since 2010, the Chilean State has designed various strategies to contain irregular flows and attempt to seal the borders of northern Chile with border control regulations and actions on profiles of people considered at "risk"; as well as with the reinforcement of border control under the assumption of protecting the most vulnerable migrants. This article analyzes the reorganization of border control in Chile and its effects on the production of migratory irregularity based on the analysis of official national reports on border rejections and data on expulsions of foreigners and entries through unauthorized crossings until 2022. It is concluded that, beyond the State narrative on the fight against organized crime and its humanitarian version of mobility, selective strategies were implemented to contain flows that reorganized the border control with a securitarian emphasis, which increased migratory irregularity and criminalized transnational mobilities.