Argentina orders immigration crackdown with new decree to ‘make Argentina great again’
Buenos Aires: Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei issued a decree on Wednesday curbing immigration to the South American nation, a move coinciding with the immigration restrictions put in place by the Trump administration.
In a country that has long prided itself on its openness to immigrants, Milei’s abrupt measures and declaration that newcomers were bringing “chaos and abuse” to Argentina drew criticism from his political opponents and prompted comparisons to US President Donald Trump.
Milei’s government welcomed those parallels to its close American ally, with presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni saying it was “time to honour our history and make Argentina great again.”
Wednesday’s executive order tightens restrictions on citizenship, requiring immigrants to spend two uninterrupted years in Argentina or make a significant financial investment in the country to secure an Argentine passport.
Immigrants seeking permanent residency must show proof of income or “sufficient means” and have clean criminal records in their home countries. The decree makes it much easier for the government to deport migrants who enter the country illegally, falsify their immigration documents or commit minor crimes in Argentina. Previously, authorities could only expel or deny entry to a foreigner with a conviction of more than three years. It also asks the judiciary to fast-track otherwise lengthy immigration court proceedings. “For some time now, we’ve had regulations that invite chaos and abuse by many opportunists who are far from coming to this country in an honest way,” Adorni told reporters. The presidential spokesperson is also the main candidate for Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party running in the key Buenos Aires legislative elections Sunday.
In a big shift, the new decree also charges foreigners to access Argentina’s public health care and education while mandating that all travellers to the country hold health insurance.
