Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer says Chilean crime rings are “continuing to terrorize Americans” and is calling for Chile to be removed from a U.S. visa waiver program.
“This is the biggest secret in Washington that no one seems to want to do anything about,” Spitzer told “Fox & Friends” on Thursday. “This is tourism burglary.”
Spitzer’s comments come after the recent indictment of seven Chilean nationals accused of burglarizing the homes of professional athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Several NBA players were also targeted.
Spitzer said Chile is the only South American country still included in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA program, which allows travelers to visit the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days.
“This is a $21 online application with no background check,” Spitzer argues. “Every other South American country that has participated in the past has been kicked out of the program for sending their criminals to the United States.”
Spitzer said he briefed the FBI on the threat of Chilean gangs nearly two years ago with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, but nothing came of it.
Now, with high-profile athletes being victimized and a new administration, he hopes the issue will finally be addressed.
“This isn’t a small problem. This is an abuse,” Spitzer said. “The president has said we are going to deport all these criminals first. My argument is, why are we letting the criminals in in the first place?”
