Two Weeks Before Taking Office: Kast’s Threat of Mass Deportations Looms

Original article: A dos semanas de asumir el mando: La amenaza de las deportaciones masivas de Kast

The countdown is targeting thousands of migrant families with the promise of immediate expulsions.

According to his campaign promise, from March 11, José Kast will implement his plan to expel anyone in an irregular immigration status. With the warning that «it’s over for those who enter through the window,» the elected leader maintains constant pressure on undocumented individuals, ignoring the underlying humanitarian crisis.

The organization Migrantas warns that this policy endangers over 180,000 people who voluntarily registered during Boric’s government. According to Catalina Bosch, co-founder of the organization, such data could now be used for arbitrary deportations without considering foreigners who are not linked to any crimes.

They alert that Kast’s rhetoric criminalizes migration solely based on administrative irregularities. «We are concerned that individuals will be subject to expulsions without due process,» Bosch stated, questioning the distinction between «good and bad migrants» that the president-elect uses to strip individuals of their dignity and fundamental rights.

Uncertainty also looms over more than 20,000 families waiting for responses to their family reunification requests, processes that are now under threat. For the organization, Kast’s approach prioritizes police control over the protection of human rights, leaving those seeking refuge or work in the country vulnerable.

In his speeches, Kast has insisted that entry will only be allowed «through the door» and under strict labor laws. However, the countdown he has promoted is seen as a tool of psychological persecution aimed at forcing migrants to leave before using public force.

As the inauguration approaches, tension increases among foreign populations who see the Border Shield Plan as a direct threat to their safety. While the elected government prepares to «regain governance,» the country faces the challenge of not undermining international treaties in the name of security based on fear.