BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) 鈥� U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was ordering tariffs, visa restrictions and other retaliatory measures to be taken against Colombia after its government rejected two U.S. military flights carrying migrants.
Trump said the measures were necessary, because the decision of Colombian President Gustavo Petro 鈥渏eopardized鈥� national security in the U.S.
鈥淭hese measures are just the beginning,鈥� Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. 鈥淲e will 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.鈥�
Earlier Sunday, Petro said that his government wouldn't accept flights carrying migrants deported from the U.S. until the Trump administration creates a protocol that treats them with 鈥渄ignity.鈥� Petro made the announcement in two X posts, one of which included a news video of migrants reportedly deported to Brazil walking on a tarmac with restraints on their hands and feet.
鈥淎 migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves,鈥� Petro said. 鈥淭hat is why I returned the U.S. military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants.鈥�
Colombia accepted 475 deportation flights from the United States from 2020 to 2024, fifth behind Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador, according to Witness at the Border, an advocacy group that tracks flight data. It accepted 124 deportation flights in 2024.
Last year, Colombia and other countries began accepting U.S.-funded deportation flights from Panama.
The U.S. government didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press regarding aircraft and protocols used in deportations to Colombia.
No official order had been issued as of Sunday afternoon that would allow for the implementation of the measures Trump announced.
Colombians emerged in recent years as a major presence on the U.S. border with Mexico, aided in part by that allows them to easily fly to Mexico and avoid trekking though the treacherous Darien Gap. They ranked fourth with 127,604 arrests for illegal crossings during a 12-month period through September, behind Mexicans, Guatemalans and Venezuelans.
Mexico hasn't imposed visa restrictions on Colombians, as .
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, added that his country would receive Colombians in 鈥渃ivilian airplanes鈥� and 鈥渨ithout treatment like criminals.鈥� His government in a statement later announced that the South American country's presidential aircraft had been made available to facilitate the return of migrants who were to arrive hours earlier on the U.S. military airplanes and guarantee them 鈥渄ignified conditions."
As part of a flurry of actions to make good on Trump's campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration, his government is using active-duty military to help secure the border and carry out deportations.
Two U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo planes carrying migrants removed from the U.S. touched down early Friday in Guatemala. That same day, Honduras received two deportation flights carrying a total of 193 people.
In announcing what he called 鈥渦rgent and decisive retaliatory measures,鈥� Trump explained that he ordered 鈥�25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States,鈥� which would be raised to 50% in one week. He said he also ordered 鈥淎 Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations鈥� on Colombian government officials, allies and supporters.
鈥淎ll Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government,鈥� Trump wrote will be subject to 鈥淰isa Sanctions.鈥� He did not say to which party he was referring to or provide any additional details on the visa and travel restrictions.
Trump added that all Colombians will face enhanced customs inspections.
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Regina Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
Regina Garcia Cano And Astrid Su谩rez, The Associated Press
