Colombia’s New President Orders Immigration Raids, Pledges Mass Deportations of Undocumented Migrants

BOGOTA, Colombia — BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced plans to deport thousands of migrants residing in the country without legal authorization, primarily Venezuelans, as part of a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s immigration framework aimed at curbing crime.

Three weeks into his presidency, de la Espriella revealed that he would direct the national immigration service to launch coordinated raids alongside Colombian police as early as this week. He unveiled the policy in a video posted to his X account on Sunday night, outlining a series of measures designed to address crime and confront criminal organizations.

The ultra-conservative leader, who maintains close alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump, stated that law enforcement operations would initially focus on migrants “committing crimes” before expanding to those living in the country without legal status.

“I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from,” de la Espriella declared in the video. “They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for.”

The majority of migrants residing in Colombia originate from neighboring Venezuela, a nation that has lost approximately one-fifth of its population over the past decade as Venezuelans fled a repressive regime amid years of economic turmoil and a 75% contraction in GDP.

As of August, approximately 2.8 million Venezuelans were living in Colombia, according to United Nations data, representing the largest Venezuelan diaspora worldwide. In July, Colombia’s national immigration service reported that it had issued temporary residence permits to roughly 2.3 million Venezuelans under a program established in 2021 by then-President Ivan Duque during the height of Venezuela’s migration crisis.

De la Espriella’s push to deport undocumented migrants represents a significant departure for Colombia, a country that had historically prioritized protecting incoming Venezuelans and providing them with pathways to permanent residency.

Ana Karina García, director of Juntos Se Puede, an organization assisting Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, noted that the Colombian government ceased issuing new temporary residency permits three years ago. She urged de la Espriella’s administration to broaden legal residency pathways rather than penalize individuals unable to secure such permits.

“We understand that the president wants to protect Colombians,” she stated. “But there is no need to protect them from migrants. It has been demonstrated that foreigners do not commit crimes at higher rates” than the local population.

Arles Pereda, president of an association representing Venezuelans in Bogota, expressed concern over the announcement, noting that new groups of Venezuelans displaced by the twin earthquakes that struck their country in June have been arriving in Colombia in search of opportunities.

“The doors appear to be closing,” Pereda remarked. “Not just in Colombia, but also in Chile, Peru, and Ecuador,” where conservative governments have similarly tightened residency requirements for Venezuelan migrants.

In a text message, Colombia’s national immigration agency, Migracion Colombia, confirmed that the department is currently without a director. The agency indicated that it will implement the new policies outlined by Colombia’s incoming administration only after a new director has been appointed and installed. ___

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