The USA plans to share biometric data with Chile to combat crime

• The USA and Chile have signed an agreement to exchange biometric data.
• The cooperation is focused on combating transnational crime.
• Tren de Aragua is a key actor in organized crime in Chile.

SANTIAGO, Chile — The United States and Chile are jointly sharing biometric technology to monitor migration and combat organized crime, announced the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security of the USA Kristi Noem during her visit to Chile.

“This agreement allows Chile and the USA to work on identifying criminal offenders and knowing who is residing in our countries and committing crimes,” said Noem, signing the previous agreement with Chile’s Minister of Homeland Security Luis Cordero and Minister of Justice Jaime Gajardo.

According to Noem, “this strengthened cooperation between our countries is extremely important for tracking criminals, terrorists, and dangerous individuals.” This plan is being implemented on the basis of a memorandum signed during the Trump administration regarding the enhancement of regional cooperation in the fight against transnational criminal organizations, such as Tren de Aragua, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the Biden administration.

The bilateral agreement allows Chilean officials to identify potential dangerous migrants who are entering or exiting the country and share their biometric data, such as fingerprints and scans of their identification documents, with the Department of Homeland Security of the USA to prevent their illegal entry into the USA.

Noem noted that “this information will be extremely important, especially as we deal with criminal activity,” praising the previous cooperation between the intelligence agencies of both countries.

Tren de Aragua has caused significant harm to Chile in recent years, engaging in the trafficking of illegal migrants, prostitution, drug trafficking, and terrorizing local populations with violent crime. However, the Chilean government is struggling with this, drawing the attention of the judiciary to a low number of gang members.

Recently, the FBI and Chilean authorities established a joint task force to combat South American criminal networks, which, it is reported, are responsible for a series of raids targeting several buildings known for their connection to prominent sports figures in the USA and Europe.

Tags: USA/Politics/Technology/Crime