Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has unveiled a plan to tighten immigration controls, instructing authorities to detain and deport individuals residing illegally or with criminal records. The announcement comes just over two weeks into his tenure, as the nation struggles to recover from the devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake on August 10 that killed more than 300 people and destroyed over 30,000 homes.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday in Barranquilla, de la Espriella said coordinated campaigns between police and immigration authorities would begin “this very week.” He outlined priorities, first targeting immigrants with criminal histories, followed by those who have not regularized their residency status, who would face immediate deportation.
The right-wing leader echoed the “America First” mantra of his ally, U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring that from now on it will be “Colombians first, Colombians second, and Colombians third.” De la Espriella is among several regional leaders with pro-Trump stances who have tightened migration rules, alongside Argentine President Javier Milei and Chilean leader José Antonio Kast.
The Colombian president’s decision has drawn criticism from the opposition and human rights activists. They fear it will end an immigration policy that has lasted over a decade under successive left- and right-wing governments, which greatly benefited migrants fleeing the humanitarian crisis in neighboring Venezuela.
Despite using anti-immigration rhetoric typical of right-wing candidates during his campaign, de la Espriella’s main focus appears to be on a hardline commitment against criminal gangs. In the same statement, he declared that all gangs involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, extortion, and smuggling are “terrorists, and we will treat them as such. Either way, we will defeat them, by reason or by force.”
De la Espriella did not directly mention Venezuelans when discussing immigration, but they make up about 90% of all migrants in Colombia. Of the 2.8 million Venezuelans currently living in the country, around 848,000 are in an irregular status, including 193,000 children and adolescents.
Leftist Senator María José Pizarro Rodríguez shared the president’s announcement and questioned whether he is “proposing a Colombian-style ICE targeting other Latin Americans,” referencing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She argued that “the order to deport irregular migrants is a pure expression of xenophobia and discrimination against the poor.” The senator urged: “Instead of chasing those fleeing poverty and violence, legalize their status. There are thousands of migrants working hard and contributing to the economies of host countries.”
According to El Tiempo newspaper, sources within the immigration department indicated that the agency lacks sufficient personnel to carry out the campaigns President de la Espriella has pledged. Analysts also note that Colombian law does not recognize the concept of “illegal” immigrants as he stated, but rather migrants in an “irregular” status, since residing without proper documentation is not a crime.
