Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella Orders Deportation of Undocumented Migrants

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered the National Police and Immigration to begin coordinated operations to identify and deport undocumented migrants. During a security council meeting on August 23, 2026, the president stated that priority would be given to those committing crimes and those with irregular immigration status. He emphasized a nationalist priority, stating that Colombians come first. As part of a broader security agenda, the president also announced the creation of a national task force to fight extortion involving all branches of the military and the judiciary, as well as a crackdown on extortion within prisons.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara provided further clarification on the scope of the order. He stated that the deportations do not target Venezuelan migrants who arrived during the peak of the regional crisis and were regularized under previous government protections. Instead, Lara asserted that the policy targets criminal networks, such as the Clan del Golfo, that profit from human trafficking and the irregular transit of people through the Darien Gap toward the United States.

Reporting on the event differed based on political framing. A center left source focused on the broader security crackdown, including the president's plan to create specialized judicial units and investigate banking records from the previous administration of Gustavo Petro. Conversely, a center right source focused on the government's distinction between regularized Venezuelan refugees and the criminal organizations facilitating illegal migration.