Résumé

Le Chili a été surpris par le flot d’immigrés qui est entré sur son territoire. Cette situation a suscité l’inquiétude d’un certain nombre d’institutions que la présente contribution relate. Les conditions que doivent remplir les enfants et les adolescents immigrés pour être accueillis au Chili lorsqu’ils sont arrivés sur le territoire sans être accompagnés d’adultes, et qui constituent un groupe particulièrement vulnérable, sont expliquées dans cet article. L’article est rédigé au prisme du principe de l’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant qui exige de ne pas faire de distinctions fondées sur le lieu de résidence des enfants et des adolescents.

INTRODUCTION

Since the last decades of the twentieth century, Chile has experienced a significant increase in the number of immigrants, a phenomenon that has surprised Chilean society as a whole and that has led to the inevitable conclusion that the Chilean State did not have the right conditions to receive a large number of immigrants. This situation explains all the problems that migration is currently causing in Chile.

In a more specific way, the migratory crisis was evident on the northern border of Chile, particularly the part that borders Peru and Bolivia. In this area, the precarious conditions in which foreigners were arriving could be seen, including children and adolescents (henceforth, unaccompanied minors ) who were notoriously lacking food and water and, in many cases, had inadequate clothes to withstand the inclemency (temperature changes) of the desert climate which is typical of the area.

The situation motivated a group of organisations to start working together to efficiently address various challenges generated by the migratory crisis.