Colombian president promises to block US deportation flights
Gustavo Petro has stated that he will not accept deported migrants until the US ensures their “dignified treatment.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced that he will not allow American planes carrying deported migrants to enter Colombia. The U.S. has been actively deporting criminal migrants since President Donald Trump took office.
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro expressed on X this past Sunday. He further stated, “I will deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory,” emphasizing that “The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
The current number of Colombians in U.S. custody awaiting deportation remains unclear.
Since Trump assumed office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been conducting daily raids nationwide. As of Saturday, the agency reported that 421 individuals had been detained for removal. Major cities affected by these operations include Boston, New York, Newark, and San Francisco, with a particular focus on immigrants who committed additional crimes post-entry.
In a statement on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that “deportation flights have begun.” On that day, two military aircraft transported 160 individuals to Guatemala, and three flights to Guatemala along with four flights to Mexico were scheduled for Friday.
Initial media reports indicated that Mexico had declined to accept these flights, but the White House clarified that this was due to an “administrative issue” that was swiftly addressed.
Estimates suggest that between 11 million and 35 million undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S. During his campaign, Trump vowed to significantly reduce this number by undertaking “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
While it is acknowledged that all undocumented immigrants commit a crime upon unlawfully entering the U.S., both Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, have indicated that the focus of this operation will be on those who have developed criminal records after entering the country.
“We’re getting the bad, hard criminals out,” Trump stated to reporters in North Carolina on Friday. “These are murderers. These are people that have been as bad as you get, as bad as anybody you’ve seen. We’re taking them out first.”
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro expressed on X this past Sunday. He further stated, “I will deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory,” emphasizing that “The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
The current number of Colombians in U.S. custody awaiting deportation remains unclear.
Since Trump assumed office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been conducting daily raids nationwide. As of Saturday, the agency reported that 421 individuals had been detained for removal. Major cities affected by these operations include Boston, New York, Newark, and San Francisco, with a particular focus on immigrants who committed additional crimes post-entry.
In a statement on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that “deportation flights have begun.” On that day, two military aircraft transported 160 individuals to Guatemala, and three flights to Guatemala along with four flights to Mexico were scheduled for Friday.
Initial media reports indicated that Mexico had declined to accept these flights, but the White House clarified that this was due to an “administrative issue” that was swiftly addressed.
Estimates suggest that between 11 million and 35 million undocumented immigrants reside in the U.S. During his campaign, Trump vowed to significantly reduce this number by undertaking “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
While it is acknowledged that all undocumented immigrants commit a crime upon unlawfully entering the U.S., both Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, have indicated that the focus of this operation will be on those who have developed criminal records after entering the country.
“We’re getting the bad, hard criminals out,” Trump stated to reporters in North Carolina on Friday. “These are murderers. These are people that have been as bad as you get, as bad as anybody you’ve seen. We’re taking them out first.”
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
