Chile Begins Construction of Border Wall Under President Casto
This week, the newly inaugurated conservative President of Chile, José Antonio Casto, initiated the construction of a wall along the border with Peru as part of efforts to tackle illegal immigration.
Casto, known for his hardline conservative views, won the December 2025 presidential runoff decisively with a campaign that prioritized curbing illegal immigration, enforcing mass deportations, and addressing crime rates in Chile. He took office on March 11, succeeding leftist president Gabriel Boric, who had previously defeated him in 2021.
In a move towards strengthening ties with the United States, Casto endorsed President Donald Trump’s regional security initiative called Shield of the Americas. He signed a joint agreement shortly before assuming the presidency, focusing on collaboration over critical minerals and rare earth elements.
Within hours of beginning his term, Casto signed an executive order to bolster police and military resources in combating human trafficking and established a national policy for closed borders.
On Monday, Casto visited the Chacalta border area in northern Arica y Parinacota, adjacent to Peru, to inspect the early stages of the border barrier construction. This marks the kickoff of his “Border Shield” strategy, which includes digging trenches alongside the fence to deter illegal crossings.
During his visit, Casto stated, “We want to create a sovereign Chile that is free from illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and organized crime. Today, we are closing the door that has allowed people to enter our country unauthorized for years.”
His visit signified the official start of this construction effort. Reports indicate that machinery is now working a few meters from the border, with plans to deploy 600 troops, more than double the standard presence in the area. Initial efforts focus on using red flags to mark the trench boundaries.
Cast’s “Border Shield” initiative aims to create 30 kilometers of trenches within 90 days across Arica and Parinacota, Antofagasta, and Tarapacá. The yet-to-be-constructed border barrier is expected to stand five meters tall, featuring sensor-equipped towers, electric fencing, and thermal radar.
Claudio Alvarado, the Minister of the Interior, revealed that the number of immigration checkpoints along the northern border would increase from 50 to 75 soon, addressing the approximately 90 unauthorized crossing points. He emphasized that enhanced surveillance aims to reduce the volume of unauthorized entries into Chile.
Alvarado assured the public that these developments will be backed by additional physical infrastructure projects aimed at managing irregular migration through various unregulated crossings, tailored to the area’s geography.
He expressed confidence that the government’s actions would yield a significant decrease in illegal immigration rates.
As part of his administration’s crackdown, Frank Sauerbaum, the new head of Chile’s National Immigration Service, announced an initiative to investigate and penalize businesses employing undocumented workers in the country. He pointed out the issue of labor inspectors providing contracts regardless of a worker’s immigration status, arguing that this creates problematic incentives that attract more illegal immigration.
Sauerbaum urged society to find common ground on solutions to tackle the issue of undocumented workers benefiting from social services, stating that the healthcare system in northern regions, where many illegal immigrants congregate, is already overwhelmed.
