Hours after repatriation flights were rejected in Colombia and President Donald Trump threatened to impose "emergency" tariffs and sanctions in response, the White House indicated those actions were on hold after Colombian President Gustavo Petro agreed to all of Trump's demands.
In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Petro agreed to the "unrestricted acceptance" of all Colombian migrants residing in the United States illegally on U.S. aircraft "without limitation or delay." As a result, all the threatened tariffs and sanctions will be "held in reserve" as long as Petro continues to comply.
The enhanced inspections of Colombian nationals that Trump also announced, along with visa sanctions by the State Department, will remain in place, however, "until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned."
The announcement from the White House follows Petro's announcement earlier Sunday that he rejected two flights of Colombian nationals who had been in the U.S. illegally because the migrants weren't treated with "dignity and respect."
That provoked Trump's ire, leading him to announce an immediate “emergency” 25% tariff on all imported goods from Colombia, which would be raised to 50% the next week; a travel ban and visa revocations of all “Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters”; visa sanctions on all “Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government.”
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With those tariffs looming, the Colombian government appeared to change course slightly, with Petro offering up his presidential plane for the deportations so Colombian citizens could have a “dignified” return.
Leavitt concluded in her statement that the back-and-forth and capitulation by Petro to Trump "make[s] clear to the world that America is respected again. President Trump will continue to protect our nation's sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States."