Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered police and immigration authorities to begin identifying and deporting migrants without legal status or residence permits. The far-right leader, who has been in office for just over two weeks, announced the crackdown on Sunday as part of a broader security measure to detain and deport people who are in the country irregularly or have committed crimes.
A close ally of Donald Trump, de la Espriella echoed the rhetoric of the Trump administration during his announcement. Emphasizing a nationalist priority, he stated, "Colombians first, Colombians second, Colombians third, may that be clear to everyone."
The policy is expected to target thousands of migrants and could affect hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in the country without regular status. This directive comes as Colombia continues to grapple with the aftermath of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on August 10 that killed more than 300 people and destroyed more than 30,000 homes.