Colombia Refuses Illegal Alien Repatriation Flights From US - Trump Vows Retaliation

President Trump's immigration policies are being implemented even now. Tom "The Hammer" Homan, the new border czar, is sending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, working with local law enforcement, to round up illegal alien criminals, get them on planes, and send them home.

Not every country is meekly accepting their people back. Venezuela has announced it will refuse the repatriation of its own citizens. Joining them now is Colombia, which is now turning away repatriation flights of Colombian citizens who were illegally in the United States.

Colombia on Sunday turned away two U.S. military aircraft with migrants being deported as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, a U.S. official said, in at least the second case of a Latin American nation refusing U.S. military deportation flights.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the practice, suggesting it treated migrants like criminals. In a post on social media platform X, Petro said Colombia would welcome home deported migrants on civilian planes, saying they should be treated with dignity and respect.
Mexico, which also refused a request last week to let a U.S. military aircraft land with migrants. "The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals," Petro wrote, noting that there were 15,660 Americans without proper immigration status in Colombia.

This may well end up being a miscalculation on the part of the various Latin American nations who are refusing these repatriation flights. Brazil, as well, is pushing back.

Brazil's foreign ministry late on Saturday condemned "degrading treatment" of Brazilians after migrants were handcuffed on a commercial deportation flight. Upon arrival, some of the passengers also reported mistreatment during the flight, according to local news reports.
The plane, which was carrying 88 Brazilian passengers, 16 U.S. security agents, and eight crew members, had been originally scheduled to arrive in Belo Horizonte in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.

Here's the thing: These Latin American nations are trying to fight well above their weight class.

Opinion: Sending Troops to the Border Is Great but They Need the Proper Organization to Be Effective

President Trump is already announcing retaliatory actions:

BREAKING: Trump releases statement & announces more severe retaliatory moves against Colombia, including 25% tariffs, a travel ban, visa sanctions, enhanced CBP inspections, and financial sanctions.

Per senior administration official: “This is a clear message we are sending… pic.twitter.com/iTRPRs0xzN
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 26, 2025

Per senior administration official: “This is a clear message we are sending that countries have an obligation to accept repatriation flights.”

There would seem to be an easy fix to this, one that isn't as efficient as putting illegal aliens on C-17s and flying them home. One wonders if it wouldn't be easier to give each illegal a one-way plane ticket through a third party nation if necessary and have a U.S. Marshal on each flight to make sure that the illegals get off on the other end and stay off. The Trump administration, as of this writing, is relying more on quasi-diplomatic solutions - diplomatic in the sense that diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie, nice doggie" until one can find a rock. Trade sanctions and financial sanctions may well work to motivate these nations to take their people back; the leverage in these matters would seem to be all with the United States, and if Donald Trump has made one thing very clear in this second term, it is that he's not playing around.

This is a developing situation. We will be bringing you updates as events warrant.

Update post-publication, 1/26/25 3:10 p.m.: The Trump administration said Mexico is cooperating with at least some of the flights.

Although one flight was refused due to what the White House called an "administrative issue," others have proceeded apace:

On Saturday night, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said via X: “Thanks to President Trump: Yesterday, Mexico accepted a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day!..

“The truth is, four ICE flights arrived in Mexico yesterday. Two military flights were sent to Guatemala because they were filled with Guatemalans. 2000 aliens were deported to Mexico yesterday alone by land and air, as Remain in Mexico was reimplemented. Promises made, promises kept.”