The United States and Chile have signed a new biometric data-sharing agreement under the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP), reinforcing their bilateral efforts in border security and migration management. Signed in Santiago on July 30, 2025, by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and senior Chilean officials, the agreement enables both nations to exchange biometric identifiers—such as fingerprints and iris scans—to better identify criminal suspects and manage migration flows.
BITMAP to Bolster Border Security and Criminal Tracking
The agreement represents an expansion of the U.S.’s international biometric cooperation frameworks and builds on earlier legislative initiatives to promote biometric intelligence sharing with key allies. Under the BITMAP framework, Chile will receive U.S. support in the form of biometric identification equipment, forensic training, and procedural guidance. These tools will enable Chilean authorities to conduct enhanced screening of third-country nationals who may pose a security risk before they attempt travel to the United States.
The rollout includes biometric integration within Chile’s prison system, mirroring similar U.S. security partnerships with other Latin American countries. By applying these capabilities in correctional facilities, Chile aims to more thoroughly vet detainees and prisoners for possible criminal links, including affiliations with transnational gangs.
Joint Effort Against Organized Crime and Terrorism
The BITMAP initiative is designed to address growing concerns over international criminal organizations. In particular, the program targets groups like Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, which was recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the White House. By sharing biometric profiles across borders, the U.S. and Chile hope to disrupt the movements of individuals involved in transnational crime networks.
The agreement follows the recent passage of a U.S. border technology funding bill that allocates over $6 billion for surveillance systems and $673 million specifically for biometric entry-exit infrastructure. This legislative momentum aligns with the BITMAP expansion, signaling a coordinated U.S. approach to enhancing migration security and enforcement capabilities.
“Data sharing benefits everyone – except bad actors who wish to do us and our people harm,” Secretary Noem stated at the signing ceremony. “This arrangement is going to serve as a bridge to help Chile and the United States work towards bringing criminals to justice and knowing who is in our countries perpetuating crimes.”
Officials on both sides indicated that this bilateral step may pave the way for a broader memorandum of understanding in the future, deepening U.S.–Chile cooperation across law enforcement and immigration policy domains.
Sources: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, CityNews Halifax
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
