Colombian president vows to deport thousands of migrants without legal status

Key Points:

• Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged to deport thousands of migrants, mainly Venezuelans without residence permits, as part of new immigration policies aimed at reducing crime.
• De la Espriella plans to order raids by the national immigration service and police targeting migrants involved in crimes and those without legal status, marking a significant policy shift from previous administrations.
• Colombia hosts the largest Venezuelan diaspora, with around 2.8 million Venezuelans living in the country, many having received temporary residence permits under earlier government programs.
• Critics, including migrant advocacy groups, argue that deportations are unjustified and stress that migrants do not commit crimes at higher rates than Colombians, urging the government to expand legal residency options instead.
• Colombia’s national immigration agency is currently without a director and will implement the new deportation policies only after a new director is appointed.