Colombia President Abelardo de la Espriella orders immigration crackdown, detentions and deportations to begin this week

Colombia President Abelardo de la Espriella announced an immigration crackdown on August 25, directing authorities to begin actions this week aimed at people living in the country irregularly and at noncitizens who authorities say have committed crimes. According to The Guardian, the new president, who has been in office just over two weeks, said the government should start operations to “track down illegal immigrants,” framing the move as part of broader public order efforts.

De la Espriella, described by The Guardian as a far-right political figure, ordered the relevant agencies to detain and deport people who are in Colombia without authorization, as well as those who have committed offenses. The newspaper report said the measures are intended to enforce immigration rules through arrests and removal, rather than relying solely on administrative processing.

The Guardian linked the announcement to the new administration’s political alignment with Donald Trump, describing De la Espriella as echoing an ally in the United States. The report placed the crackdown alongside Colombia’s current domestic priorities, including the ongoing response after a recent earthquake, which has added strain to public services and emergency management.

The announcement did not provide, in the portion summarized by The Guardian, detailed information on the legal authorities, timelines for specific operations, or how detentions and deportations would be carried out in individual cases. It also did not specify whether the government would prioritize particular regions, nationalities, or categories of alleged crimes. Still, the directive, as described, calls for authorities to move quickly, with the start of enforcement activities expected within days.

Humanitarian groups and legal experts in many countries often raise questions when governments shift toward rapid detention and removal, particularly concerning due process for people accused of crimes and for migrants who may be vulnerable to coercion or mistaken identity. The Guardian’s report focused on the president’s orders and the intention to begin operations this week, rather than on any accompanying safeguards or court oversight.

For Colombia, immigration enforcement is likely to intersect with broader border and internal security issues, including the capacity of local authorities and courts to handle detention reviews and deportation procedures. The Guardian’s account suggests the government is preparing to use a more aggressive posture immediately after a leadership change, which could accelerate both arrests and the administrative workload for agencies responsible for immigration status determinations.

The next steps, based on the report, are expected to be operational: agencies will carry out the president’s instructions to detain and remove people in irregular status and those described as having committed crimes. Because the summary does not specify the operational details, further reporting would be needed to clarify the scope of the crackdown, the rules governing detention conditions, and the legal channels for appeals and challenges.