Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced a firm decision on Sunday to deny entry to the United States deportation flights until assurances of "dignified treatment" for migrants were provided.
This marked a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and left-wing governments in Latin America over US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Petro, while addressing the situation publicly, declared, “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants.” The president communicated this stance through a statement on the social media platform X.
In a subsequent post, Petro stated that he had “turned back US military planes,” though he did not specify the number of flights or the timing of these actions.
However, he clarified that the civilian flights carrying deported migrants would be permitted if the individuals onboard were not subjected to degrading treatment.
Petro revealed that over 15,600 of the undocumented Americans resided in Colombia and urged them to regularise their status.
He firmly ruled out the possibility of conducting raids to detain and deport these individuals.
– US Response and Trump’s Immigration Policy –
US officials did not issue an immediate response to Petro’s statements. However, Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, expressed confidence in the success of their strategy. In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Homan remarked, “Oh, they’ll take them back.”
Homan suggested that governments opposing US deportation measures would eventually yield under diplomatic pressure. He added, “If governments refused, then we’ll place them (migrants) in a third safe country,” though he did not specify which nations would meet this criterion.
Under Trump’s earlier presidency, Mexico had agreed to accept non-Mexican migrants deported from the United States following threats of severe trade tariffs. The Biden administration, however, reverted to directly deporting non-Mexican migrants to their countries of origin.
– Latin America’s Reaction to Deportation Practices –
Colombia’s strong response coincided with widespread criticism in Brazil over the treatment of the deported migrants. Brazilian officials condemned the Trump administration for what they termed a "flagrant disregard" of human rights after the deportation of 88 Brazilian nationals last Friday.
Edgar Da Silva Moura, a computer technician among the deported individuals, described the ordeal as inhumane. “On the plane, they didn’t give us water, we were tied hands and feet, they wouldn’t even let us go to the bathroom,” Moura recounted. He added, “It was very hot, some people fainted.”
Television footage showed passengers disembarking from the aircraft with their hands and ankles shackled, further fuelling public outrage.
– Trump’s Use of Military Aircraft for Deportations –
In a departure from previous practices, the Trump administration began employing military aircraft for certain repatriation flights. At least one such flight landed in Guatemala this week. Reports indicated that multiple of the deportation flights had also been directed to Mexico, though some were reportedly turned back.
– Latin American Nations Respond to Migrant Repatriation –
Several Latin American countries expressed solidarity with the deported migrants. Mexico unveiled plans to establish nine shelters for the returning citizens and three additional facilities for the foreign deportees, as part of a programme titled “Mexico Embraces You.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that humanitarian assistance would be extended to deported migrants from other countries before their repatriation. Meanwhile, Honduras announced its initiative, “Brother, Come Home,” which would provide financial support, food, and employment opportunities to returnees.
