South AmericaLiberalism has developedIrregular migrationSouth America an intra-regional migration regime that has received much scholarly attention for its liberal and open policies and narratives. However, at the same timeTime, literature has highlighted the “gap” between this liberal approach and more restrictive implementation measures, which include increased border militarization, and restrictions on movement. This dichotomy between liberal narratives and securitizing border practices constitutes the focus of this study. Theoretically, we use ontological securityOntological security to highlight the importance of narratives and routines to establish trust and a sense of security within a population. We illustrate how ontological security theory can help scholars to understand the contradictions within South American migration governance. We analyze bordering practices across the region in the post-COVID period, characterized by several “waves” of militarization of borders. Through a critical discourseDiscourse analysis of media and political speeches, we show how elites uphold the liberal narrative while implementing increasingly securitized border restrictions.