Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has launched immigration raids and deportations targeting illegal immigrants in the country as part of his “Colombia First” policy platform.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has ordered immigration raids and deportations targeting illegal immigrants. 📺 DETAIL: De la Espriella was inaugurated as President earlier this month after defeating his leftist rival in a presidential run-off election back in May. The Trump-aligned leader has since ordered a crackdown on illegal immigrants and visa overstayers, promising immigration raids and mass deportations. The policy prioritizes removing those committing crimes and those without legal status in the country. Operations are expected to start this week. While the President did not specify any nationality targeted for deportation, Venezuelans are expected to be particularly affected, due to being the largest non-Colombian group in the country. Approximately 2.8 million Venezuelans live in Colombia, and roughly 2.3 million Venezuelans hold temporary residence permits. This follows years of Colombia taking Venezuelan migrants due to the political, economic, and environmental instability facing the socialist-led country. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from… They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for… Colombians must come first, second, and third… Let the coordinated operations begin to find illegal immigrants, first those committing crimes, then those whose status is not regularized.” – President Abelardo de la Espriella 🎯 IMPACT: The policy signals a significant shift in Colombia’s immigration stance. This announcement underscores the similarities between Espriella and President Donald J. Trump, both of whom have made border security and tackling illegal immigration key components of their policy platforms. This policy demonstrates how Colombia, like much of South America generally, has shifted rightwards, prioritizing law and order candidates in recent elections. 📺 FLASHBACK: This crackdown on illegal immigration follows a request from the Colombian president to collaborate with the United States in combating narco-terrorism in the region. “Through the newly inaugurated… President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth earlier this month. |
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