World News
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella faces criticism over planned foreign deportations
The newly inaugurated president announced plans to expel undocumented migrants, starting with a pilot initiative in Barranquilla.
The short version
- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced plans to deport undocumented foreign nationals, beginning with a pilot initiative in Barranquilla.
- The policy targets individuals committing crimes first, followed by those lacking valid residency status, directly affecting the country's large Venezuelan population.
- Opposition politicians and migrant rights advocates condemned the decision, warning that it promotes discrimination and puts deportees at risk of persecution upon return to Venezuela.
Key facts
- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered police to begin operations as early as this week to deport undocumented foreign nationals.[Al Jazeera]
- The deportation plan will begin with a pilot program in the coastal city of Barranquilla, home to roughly 182,000 Venezuelans.[Al Jazeera]
- Venezuelans account for 95 percent of Colombia's foreign migrant population, with approximately 500,000 out of 2.8 million residing without legal authorization.[Al Jazeera]
- Opposition politicians, including Senator Ivan Cepeda and Congresswoman Maria del Mar Pizarro, characterized the initiative as discriminatory and populist.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Full operational details and specific mechanics of the president's deportation platform have not yet been disclosed.[Al Jazeera]