Colombia president orders illegal migrant deportations

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered a crackdown on irregular migration, instructing immigration officials to detain foreigners convicted of crimes and begin deportation procedures. This directive was disclosed in a video from a security cabinet meeting in Barranquilla, where the president emphasized the prioritization of individuals involved in criminal activities and those who have yet to regularize their immigration status.

De la Espriella stated that his administration would not tolerate undocumented migration, irrespective of the migrants' origins. The hardline president, known for his focus on crime and drug-trafficking groups, temporarily shifted attention to this issue after a devastating earthquake in western Colombia on August 10, which resulted in over 300 deaths and widespread destruction.

Speaking with a tone reminiscent of US President Donald Trump, De la Espriella articulated a nationalist stance, declaring: "Colombians first, Colombians second, Colombians third, may that be clear to everyone." Colombia currently hosts an estimated three million Venezuelan migrants who fled the country's economic and political crisis over the past decade.

Under previous right-wing governments, a more lenient approach was typically adopted towards Venezuelan migrants, who were often viewed as victims of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist policies.