Official announcements from the Colombian government or US State Department

Colombia Accepts 200 Deportees After Trump's Tariff Threat; Petro Sends Planes

Jan 28, 2025, 12:52 PM

Colombia has agreed to accept deported migrants from the United States after President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Colombian imports. The White House announced that the two countries had pulled back from a possible trade war after Colombia consented to receive deported citizens sent on U.S. military aircraft. Colombian President Gustavo Petro arranged for the presidential plane and military aircraft to facilitate the return of approximately 200 deported migrants, including 16 minors. Two Colombian Air Force planes arrived in Bogotá on January 28, carrying the deportees. Petro emphasized that the migrants were received 'free and dignified, without being handcuffed,' stating, 'They are Colombians, free and dignified, and they are in their homeland where they are loved.' This development follows tensions between the U.S. and Colombia over immigration policies, with Trump aiming to crack down on illegal immigration and Petro initially refusing to accept U.S. deportation flights.