Full Breakdown
Chile Investigates Alleged Irregular Entry of Haitian Minors Under Family Reunification
6/20/2026, 7:51:46 AM
Alleged Irregular Entry of Haitian Minors
Chile’s prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the mass entry of Haitian children and adolescents who arrived on charter flights between January and October 2025 under family-reunification permits. Authorities later reported that a substantial number of these minors could not be located at the addresses supplied in their applications, prompting a coordinated response from the foreign ministry and other state bodies.
Background and Context
Haitian migration to Chile has increased over the past decade, making the Haitian community one of the country’s largest foreign groups. In early 2025 a sharp rise in arrivals occurred, coinciding with the use of charter flights for family-reunification visas. President José Antonio Kast, elected in March 2026, has pledged tighter controls on irregular migration, a policy shift that frames the current scrutiny of the program.
Key Figures and Agencies
- President José Antonio Kast
- Foreign Minister Francisco Perez
- Minister of the Interior Claudio Alvarado
- Minister of Social Development María Jesús Wulf
- Director of the National Migration Service (SERMIG) Frank Sauerbaum
- Arajet SA (Dominican Republic airline)
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- Comptroller General of the Republic
- Public Prosecutor’s Office
Timeline of Key Developments
- Jan – Oct 2025: Charter flights transport Haitian minors under family-reunification permits.
- Jan – Apr 2025: 2,800 Haitian arrivals recorded under the program; half arrived on charter flights.
- June 15 2026: SERMIG Director Frank Sauerbaum files a complaint alleging child-trafficking networks.
- June 19 2026: Foreign Ministry confirms cooperation with prosecutors; Foreign Minister Pérez dispatches a team to Haiti.
- June 19 2026: President Kast convenes an inter-branch meeting at La Moneda to address the “scandal.”
- June 19 2026: Chamber of Deputies approves a special investigative commission.
- June 19 2026: UNICEF issues a public call for rapid clarification of the children’s whereabouts.
Data and Statistics
- 2,800 Haitian entrants under family reunification (Jan 1 – Apr 30 2025).
- >3,200 total Haitian arrivals with temporary residence permits in the same period.
- Approximately 50 % of reunification entries arrived via charter flights.
- At least 12 adults, Chilean and foreign, identified as posing as chaperones for groups of 2-18 minors.
- More than 200 children remain unaccounted for according to the Comptroller’s Office.
- Six investigative documents submitted by SERMIG.
Official Statements & Responses
The foreign ministry pledged to provide all requested documentation and noted that Minister Perez sent a delegation to review consular procedures in Haiti. Minister Alvarado announced a task force led by Minister Wulf to locate missing minors and coordinate inter-institutional efforts. SERMIG’s complaint targets adults, airlines, travel agencies, and other parties potentially responsible for the alleged violations. UNICEF urged Chilean authorities to act swiftly, citing existing child-protection laws (Law 21.430 and Law 21.325). Arajet SA issued a statement denying any charter operations between Port-au-Prince and Santiago.
Criticism & Opposition
The complaint characterizes the situation as possible child trafficking and smuggling, implicating airlines and travel agencies despite Arajet’s denial. Media reports have linked the flights to small Caribbean carriers, raising questions about oversight of the family-reunification program. Human-rights observers have highlighted the risk of abuse when migration controls are insufficiently monitored.
On-the-Ground Reports
Local authorities reported that several minors could not be found at the residential addresses listed in their entry applications, prompting concerns about their current location and welfare.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The exact number of missing children varies between “more than 200” and an unspecified “several minors.”
- Arajet denies operating the implicated charter flights, while other media attribute the flights to unnamed Caribbean airlines.
- Investigations have yet to confirm the identities of all alleged chaperones or determine the final destinations of the unlocated children.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We assure you that all our operations have always been and continue to be conducted in compliance with current Chilean legislation, particularly the immigration laws and regulations of Chile and the Dominican Republic,” — Arajet SA, Spokesperson
- “We wish to clarify that Arajet has never operated charter flights between Port-au-Prince (Haiti) and Santiago (Chile), contrary to what some media outlets have mistakenly reported,” — Arajet SA, Spokesperson
- “Behind every piece of information there is a boy or a girl, and that is our first and foremost concern,” — Claudio Alvarado, Minister of the Interior
- “The State of Chile has a duty to each of those children and we are going to fulfill it. We will not rest until we have certainty about the whereabouts and well-being of each one,” — Claudio Alvarado, Minister of the Interior
- “ "This is a serious accusation that requires the utmost diligence in its investigation," the organization stressed.” — UNICEF Representative
What’s Next
A special investigative commission will review governmental actions on entry, registration, and protection of foreign minors. The task force led by Minister Wulf will continue searches for the missing children, while UNICEF monitors compliance with Chile’s child-migration legal framework. Ongoing judicial inquiries aim to determine the extent of any trafficking networks and to hold accountable any parties found to have violated immigration and child-protection statutes.
