Overview
- President Abelardo de la Espriella announced plans to begin immigration raids to detain migrants accused of crimes and to deport those without legal status in a statement released Sunday.
- Migración Colombia says the agency has no director and will not carry out the new directive until a leader is appointed, leaving the timing of any raids unclear.
- Colombia hosts roughly 2.8 million Venezuelans and hundreds of thousands lack regular status, which means a large population could be affected if deportations proceed.
- Left-wing politicians and migrant groups condemned the order as xenophobic and warned it risks harming vulnerable families, while some Colombians praised the move as a way to address crime.
- The shift reverses years of policies that granted legal pathways to Venezuelan arrivals and could create humanitarian strain, legal challenges, and regional political ripple effects if enforcement begins.