Three illegal Chinese immigrants were intercepted by members of the Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA) in an area near the Bermejo River, in Formosa, after having entered Argentine territory from Brazil illegally.
The operation began following a report from a taxi driver who had been hired to transport them. The driver arrived at a border crossing and informed the prefects that he needed to pick up three people.
When the agents asked for details, he showed the georeferenced location sent to him by the person who hired him.
The detained illegal immigrants
With that information, a patrol from the Prefecture accompanied the taxi driver to the indicated point. The location was about seven kilometers from an international border crossing. There, the agents found the three Chinese immigrants, who did not have documentation proving a legal entry into Argentina.
After the procedure, the agents contacted Alejandra Schaffer, assistant to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Formosa. The official ordered the intervention of the National Migration Directorate (DNM) to determine the status of the foreigners.
The Government of Javier Milei, through Migration, finally ordered the expulsion of the three Chinese citizens and arranged for their transfer to the International Border Crossing of Paso de los Libres, in Corrientes, via Brazil.
According to official information, the decision was made because that was the last recorded legal entry point for the three foreigners.
The undocumented individuals entered South American territory legally through Brazil, which does not require visas from Chinese citizens. However, once inside the continent, they continued their journey to Paraguay temporarily before attempting to enter Argentina clandestinely.
President Javier Milei
Background
The operation in Formosa adds to at least other cases recorded in recent months of illegal immigrants entering Argentina from Brazil, particularly in the province of Misiones.
One of the most recent episodes occurred in mid-September, when members of the 50th Squadron “Posadas” of the National Gendarmerie identified seven Chinese individuals at the Posadas Bus Terminal. The group was about to board a long-distance bus to the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
Following the intervention of Migration, the expulsion of the seven foreigners was ordered through the Tancredo Neves International Bridge, which connects Puerto Iguazú with the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu.
Days later, members of the 13th Squadron “Iguazú” detected two more Chinese individuals who had also entered national territory irregularly through Brazil. In that case, Migration and the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Puerto Iguazú also ordered their expulsion.
These procedures add to a precedent that occurred in July, also in Misiones. Members of the 13th Squadron “Iguazú” intercepted a bus heading to La Plata, at kilometer 1,606 of National Route No. 12, and found five Chinese individuals without documentation proving their legal entry into the country.
The data cross-check determined that they had entered in violation of Migration Law No. 25,871. Migration ordered their definitive rejection and prohibition of re-entry to Argentina, and they were subsequently handed over to Brazilian police authorities through the Tancredo Neves International Crossing.
The new operation in Formosa once again highlights the irregular entries through the border with Brazil and adds to recent procedures in which numerous illegal immigrants have been intercepted by Argentine authorities.
