President Donald Trump announced “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures” against Colombia Sunday after it rejected two flights carrying deported migrants from the U.S.—marking the first major clash between the U.S. and a foreign nation over Trump’s mass deportation push.
US President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Harry Reid International Airport ... [+]
Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Sunday “emergency 25% tariffs” on all Colombian imports and said the tariffs would be raised to 50% within a week.
Trump directed his administration to bar Colombian government officials “and all Allies and Supporters” from entering the U.S., revoke their visas and issue visa sanctions on all “Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.”
Trump also said all Colombian nationals and cargo will face “enhanced” Customs and Border Protection inspections and that treasury, banking and financial sanctions will be imposed.
Trump made the announcement after Colombia said it rejected two U.S. flights carrying deported migrants from entering Colombia, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Sunday the country would turn away the flights, writing on X that “The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”
Petro said the ban would apply to U.S. military planes, but not civilian planes carrying deportees would be allowed in.
“Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States,” Trump wrote.
Other countries have had mixed reactions to Trump’s deportation plans. Guatemala has agreed to receive deportees via military planes and Mexico has said it would “welcome Mexican men and women back” to the country, though it’s unclear if Mexico will also accept migrants from other countries. Mexico reportedly prevented a deportation flight from landing last week, though White House officials called it an “administrative issue” that was later cleared up. Honduran President Xiomara Castro warned earlier this month that she could expel the U.S. military from its base there and Honduran officials said last week that Trump’s deportations could strengthen Honduran relations with China.
The White House said Friday it had begun deportation flights after making 538 arrests Thursday and putting hundreds of “illegal immigrant criminals” on flights back to their home countries. The flights are part of Trump’s plan to conduct “the largest deportation operation in U.S. history,” facilitated by a string of executive orders Trump signed after he was sworn in last week that directed various agencies to tamp down on immigration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents were directed to immediately deport people who cross the border without authorization and mass raids are expected in major cities.
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