Story perspectives

Colombia’s president orders raids to deport irregular migrants this week

8/26/2026

Center

Espriella Orders Raids

President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered police and immigration officials to begin raids this week to deport irregular migrants in Colombia.
The decree instructs authorities to first target migrants who have committed crimes, then those without legal status.
Espriella announced the order in a video on X during a council meeting in Barranquilla.
Migración Colombia said it cannot carry out the raids until a new director is appointed.

Left

Espriella Orders Raids

President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered police to begin raids this week to detain and deport irregular migrants in Colombia.
His use of “illegal” migrants contradicts Colombian law, which defines them as “irregular,” highlighting mischaracterization.
Opposition leaders, human-rights groups and Senator María José Pizarro Rodríguez called the order xenophobic, likening it to ICE.
Migration officials say they lack staff for raids; Venezuelans—90 % of migrants—include 848,000 irregular adults and 193,000 children.

Blindspot

Sources within Colombia’s migration department said the agency lacks sufficient staff to carry out President Abelardo de la Espriella’s promised raids on irregular migrants.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

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Espriella Orders Raids

President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered police and immigration officials to begin raids this week to deport irregular migrants in Colombia.
The decree instructs authorities to first target migrants who have committed crimes, then those without legal status.
Espriella announced the order in a video on X during a council meeting in Barranquilla.
Migración Colombia said it cannot carry out the raids until a new director is appointed.

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