New US–Chile Pact Targets Criminal Migration With Biometric Technology

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the biometric partnership will help both countries monitor threats, from criminal migrants to potential terrorists.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks after signing a letter of intent with Chilean Minister of Public Security Luis Cordero for a Biometric Identification Transnational Migrant Alert Program (BITMAP) at the Ministry of the Interior in Santiago de Chile, Chile, on July 30, 2025. Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

The United States and Chile signed a new Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) letter of intent on July 30, which U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said is a continuation of crucial information-sharing between the two nations.

“Data sharing benefits everyone – except bad actors who wish to do us and our people harm,” Noem said in a statement. “Today, we kick-started a Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) to help both nations better track criminals, terrorists, other dangerous individuals who try to cross our borders and do us harm.”