Colombia has agreed to accept deported Colombian migrants from the United States, backing down after threats of steep tariffs and other punitive measures from President Donald Trump.
The deal comes after a brief standoff over US military flights carrying deportees, which Colombia had initially blocked, accusing the US of treating its citizens unfairly.
On Sunday evening, Colombia announced it would comply with “all of President Trump’s terms,” including the unconditional acceptance of deported migrants. The move followed a weekend of escalating tensions, during which the US imposed visa sanctions, threatened tariffs on Colombian imports, and warned of further consequences unless its deportation flights were allowed to resume.
“We will continue to receive Colombians and Colombian women who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights,” Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said in a televised statement. He added that US deportation flights had resumed, and Colombia’s presidential plane was being prepared to assist in repatriating citizens.
In a statement, the White House praised the agreement but maintained that certain penalties, such as customs inspections and visa restrictions, would remain in place until the first deportation flight successfully landed in Colombia.
“Today’s 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,” the statement read.
”As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.” –President Trump
Promises made. PROMISES KEPT. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Va6vbaeSnA
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 26, 2025
Escalating Tensions
The standoff began early Sunday when Colombia blocked two US military planes carrying deportees, despite prior authorization. Colombian President Gustavo Petro disputed that he had approved the flights, accusing the US of treating Colombian migrants like criminals.
President Trump responded by announcing a series of penalties, including tariffs on Colombian exports, visa restrictions for Colombian nationals, and the suspension of both immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing. Trump also revoked the visas of Colombian officials already in the US, an unprecedented move against a key US ally in South America.
In retaliation, President Petro threatened tariffs on US goods and took to social media to criticize Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “You will never see me burning a US flag or carrying out a raid to return handcuffed illegal immigrants to the US,” Petro wrote.
However, the escalating diplomatic feud prompted concern among Colombian officials and business leaders, who urged the government to avoid actions that could harm the country’s economy. By Sunday evening, the two countries reached a resolution, ending the dispute for now.
Economic Fallout and Broader Implications
The standoff highlighted the economic risks of a trade war. Colombia is a major exporter of coffee, flowers, and minerals to the US, with millions of workers dependent on these industries.
Maria Claudia Lacouture, head of the Colombo-American Chamber of Commerce, warned that US tariffs would have devastating consequences. “In coffee alone, more than 500,000 families depend on this sector. In flower farming, thousands of single mothers would lose their livelihood. And we can continue adding sectors that will be affected,” she said.
The agreement also underscores the broader challenges other nations may face under Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. Administration officials said the resolution with Colombia had emboldened the White House to take a tougher stance with other countries.
“You can’t go out there and publicly defy us in that way,” a senior Trump official told CNN. “We’re going to make sure the world knows they can’t get away with being nonserious and deceptive.”
International Criticism of Deportation Flights
The use of US military planes for deportation flights has also drawn criticism from other countries. Brazil condemned the “degrading” treatment of its nationals aboard a US deportation flight that landed in Brazil on Friday.
Brazilian officials reported that 88 deportees arrived handcuffed on a poorly maintained aircraft with a faulty air conditioning system. The migrants were eventually transported to their destination on a Brazilian Air Force flight.
Despite the backlash, the Trump administration has signaled that deportation flights will continue. White House border czar Tom Homan emphasized that military flights are a critical tool for enforcing immigration policies and sending a strong message globally.
“Our border’s closed,” Homan said, noting that the flights would continue daily.