BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian nationals returning to their homeland on Tuesday via military flights described a harrowing experience of being shackled on earlier deportation flights conducted by the U.S. This situation unfolded amidst a diplomatic tiff between Colombia’s leadership and former President Donald Trump, which almost led to a trade conflict. The deportation flights from the U.S. to Colombia resumed following a weekend of negotiations that shed light on the Trump administration’s strategies for handling nations that resist large-scale deportations of illegal migrants.
Initially, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declined to accommodate two U.S. military aircraft carrying migrants, which led Trump to issue threats of imposing a 25% tariff on Colombian goods and other penalties. Eventually, Colombia agreed to accept the migrants, but with the stipulation that they would be transported on Colombian military flights, ensuring their dignity, according to Petro’s statement.
On Tuesday, two Colombian Air Force planes arrived in Bogotá, bringing back over 200 migrants, inclusive of many women and children. President Petro took to social media to express his welcome, stating that they were now “free” and back in “a country that loves them.” Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo confirmed that none of the migrants had any criminal histories in either the U.S. or Colombia. Petro emphasized that “migrants are not criminals,” but rather individuals seeking to forge better lives for themselves and their families.
Among the returnees, José Montaña from Medellín recounted the experience of being shackled during the earlier U.S. flights. “We were restrained from our feet to our hips, as if we were criminals,” Montaña revealed, highlighting the distressing sight of women being shackled in front of their children. Some migrants reported that they had spent less than two weeks in the U.S., confined mainly to detention centers. Carlos Gómez from Barranquilla, who left Colombia just two weeks ago seeking the elusive American dream, referred to his experience as living an “American nightmare” after crossing the border illegally into California with the help of smugglers.
In a conference, Trump addressed the backlash regarding the use of shackles during flights, asserting that it was necessary for security purposes. “We were criticized for having them shackled, and he [Petro] remarked that it was no way to treat people,” said Trump, addressing House Republicans in Florida. He described many deportees negatively, labeling them as “murderers” and “gang members.” However, Colombian officials disputed such claims and insisted that deportees had no criminal records.
The Trump administration had previously indicated that it would focus on the removal of migrants with criminal backgrounds in the early stages of mass deportation efforts, although it later broadened the scope to include all individuals in the country illegally, those posing safety threats, or others apprehended at the border. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that violent offenders would be prioritized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but noted that it does not exclude the removal of other unauthorized individuals.
An agreement was reached late Sunday to resume deportation flights, with the White House announcing that Colombia had consented to all of Trump’s conditions, which included using military flights for the deportees. The Colombian Air Force dispatched two aircraft to El Paso, Texas, and San Diego on Monday for the migrants whose deportations had faced delays, alongside others awaiting deportation. On Tuesday, a total of 201 migrants, including 21 minors and two pregnant women, were flown back to Bogotá, as per Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Last year, over 120 deportation flights were conducted, though they were chartered by U.S. contractors.
Wolfram Díaz, another migrant from Bucaramanga who spent less than two weeks in the U.S., described being placed in cuffs for their flight back home. “We boarded a C-130 Hercules shackled,” he recalled, expressing confusion over being redirected back. Meanwhile, Gómez shared his own story, explaining that he sought asylum from the U.S. Border Patrol but spent a week in detention centers before facing deportation along with his 17-year-old son. “We only want a better future for our children,” Gómez asserted.
