United States and Colombia reach deal on migrant returns after Trump threatens sanctions
The United States said it would pause freshly-declared tariffs and sanctions on Colombia after the latter government backed down and agreed to accept the return of citizens illegally in the United States, deflating a diplomatic spat that erupted when Bogota turned back two deportation flights by US military planes.
‘The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay,’ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, 27 January.
She said sanctions and tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (‘IEEPA’) ‘will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honor this agreement.’
Earlier, the US State Department said that following Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s ‘refusal to accept two repatriation flights he previously authorized,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio ‘immediately ordered a suspension of visa issuance at the U.S. Embassy Bogota consular section.’
Mass deportations of illegal aliens was among President Trump’s campaign promises.
https://www.state.gov/ending-illegal-immigration-in-the-united-states
