The Trump White House is claiming victory in a showdown with Colombia over deportees from the U.S. as the new president escalates a promised crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
The South American nation backed down from a confrontation over the deportation flights after Trump threatened to impose tough tariffs and other sanctions.
The White House trumpeted the capitulation by Colombia as a stark warning to other nations that they should think twice about obstructing its plans to deport undocumented immigrants to their homelands.
“(The) events make clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation’s sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The Colombian government confirmed that it was backing down on the issue and President Gustavo Petro even reposted Leavitt’s statement.
“We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. “We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights.”
Petro initially rejected two Colombia-bound U.S. military aircraft carrying migrants after accusing Trump of not treating immigrants humanely.
Trump, who says the deportation flights are a matter of national security, quickly demanded that Petro back down. He ordered visa restrictions, 25% tariffs on all Colombian incoming goods, which would be raised to 50% in one week, and other retaliatory measures.
Petro countered with a retaliatory 25% increase in Colombian tariffs on U.S. goods as the tit-for-tat dispute escalated.
But within hours, Petro had a change of heart and caved to Trump’s demands that Colombia accept the flights.
The deportation flight drama unfolded as Trump officials claimed they arrested nearly 1,000 immigrants in sweeps nationwide on Sunday alone.
Top Homeland Security and Justice Department officials headed to Chicago Monday where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were preparing for more roundups of reputed criminals and gang members who are undocumented immigrants.
Trump says his election win amounts to a mandate to deport many millions of undocumented immigrants, starting with criminals but including people who are simply living in the U.S. without required documentation.