The Chilean Comptroller General has ruled that the Migration Service acted illegally regarding the entry of Haitian children, triggering administrative investigations into Migraciones, the Investigative Police (PDI), and the Undersecretariat for Children. The ruling follows reported failures in family reunification permits and initial government inability to track several minors.
- Agencies under investigation: Migraciones, PDI, and the Subsecretaría de la Niñez.
- Key finding: Illegal procedures regarding the entry of Haitian minors and reunification permits.
- Recovery effort: PDI located 64 Haitian nationals previously listed as “unlocatable.”
Why the Comptroller Opened Investigations
The Comptroller General determined that Migraciones operated illegally in its handling of the entry of Haitian children, according to local media reports. This finding led to the opening of administrative investigations, known as sumarios, targeting the Migration Service, the PDI, and the Undersecretariat for Children.
Official reports indicate that the agency failed to comply with established protocols regarding family reunification permits, which are intended to ensure children are legally and safely reunited with their guardians.
The Search for Unlocatable Minors
A preliminary report from the Comptroller initially identified a group of Haitian nationals who could not be located by the state. According to local reports, the PDI has since successfully located 64 of those individuals who were previously listed as unlocatable.
While the recovery of these individuals is a primary focus, the initial lack of records raised concerns regarding the state’s ability to monitor vulnerable populations entering the country.
Calls for Better Traceability
Members of the Senate of the Republic of Chile have acknowledged the location of the minors but stated that the incident highlights systemic flaws. According to legislative reports, officials are now urging the government to reinforce traceability measures to ensure that the movements and welfare of migrant children are properly documented from the moment of entry.
