After securing a second White House term partly on campaign promise to crack down on immigration, President Donald Trump began by signing a range of executive orders to execute it.
These include repealing an asylum program begun under the Biden administration; banning so-called sanctuary cities, where local laws protect undocumented immigrants; and sending thousands of troops and combat vehicles to help close the U.S.-Mexico border.
As part of the wide-scale deportation mission, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers have begun raiding workplaces nationwide and rounding up those Trump refers to as “illegal immigrant criminals” for deportation flights to their home countries.
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Colombia initially blocks deportation planes, backs down
Two such deportation flights, carrying 80 Colombian nationals, were slated to land in the country on Jan. 26. Colombia initially denied clearance for the U.S. military’s C-17 planes to land on its territory.
“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that every human being deserves,” Colombian President Petro posted on X that day.
Related: Trump starts presidency with three executive orders affecting travel
The country’s action enraged Trump, who responded that he “would not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States.” (There is no evidence that the migrants were forced to cross the border in any way.)
Trump’s threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Colombian goods coming into the U.S., with a doubling of that figure after a week, plus a travel ban on its government officials, Petro backed down and accepted deportation flights.
“We will continue to receive Colombians and Colombian women who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights,” Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said in a local press conference in which he also said that deportation flights had resumed coming into the country.
Other countries that have not been let U.S. deportation flights land
Mexico, another destination country for Trump’s deportation flights, has also refused to allow a U.S. Air Force C-17 plane from landing on its territory. The flight was supposed to leave on Thursday, Jan. 23, but never took off.
Mexican authorities have not officially commented on why the flight was not given clearance to land, and while Trump also threatened Mexico with 25% tariffs, he has not implemented them and the situation is at a standstill.
More on travel:
Trump starts presidency with three executive orders affecting travelGovernment issues new travel advisory on popular beach destinationAnother country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors
Brazil has also ratcheted up tensions with Washington over deportation flights that have begun arriving in the country.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement demanding explanations for the “degrading treatment” and “flagrant disregard” of human rights of the 88 Brazilian nationals who were brought back by military plane on Jan. 24.
The handcuffed detainees were led off the plane, which landed in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Those aboard said there was no water or air conditioning on the hours-long flight.
Guatemala has begun receiving Trump’s deportation flights: 265 citizens aboard two military flights and one charter plane arrived in the country last Friday.
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