Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella announces immigration crackdown
Far-right leader echoes ally Donald Trump and says operations to ‘track down illegal immigrants’ should begin this week, amid earthquake aftermath Colombia’s far-right president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has announced a crackdown on immigrants, ordering authorities to detain and deport people who are in the country irregularly or have committed crimes. In office for just over two weeks, the…
Far-right president Abelardo de la Espriella of Colombia has announced a crackdown on immigrants just days after taking office. The announcement came as the country continues to recover from a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck on August 10, killing over 300 people and destroying more than 30,000 homes. De la Espriella vowed to begin coordinated operations with police and migration authorities within the week to "track down illegal immigrants," prioritizing those who have committed crimes and those who have not regularized their status.
This announcement echoes the rhetoric of US President Donald Trump, who has implemented stricter immigration policies. De la Espriella's actions face criticism from opposition parties and human rights activists who argue that it ends a decade-long migration policy and will disproportionately affect Venezuelan migrants who make up 90% of the country's immigrants.
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