In Bogota, the two nations have signed a memorandum of understanding, which would allow them to exchange biometric data collected from migrants.
Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, traveled from Washington, DC on Thursday to discuss the agreement as a step toward a solution for the issue of illegal immigration to both nations.
She emphasized in particular its benefits for Colombia, which is frequently a destination for migrants and refugees fleeing Venezuela’s neighbor’s economic unrest and political repression.
“By assisting Colombia, and by assisting the Colombian people in detecting and preventing criminals and terrorists from trying to cross its borders,” Noem said, “This deployment of biometric capabilities under the Department of Homeland Security’s biometric data sharing partnership will help us make an impact.”
“So Colombians will feel safer while we work together.”
Donald Trump’s administration has frequently cited criminality as a result of the dangers of undocumented immigration.
However, studies have consistently demonstrated that US citizens who are not citizens of the United States are more likely to commit crimes. For instance, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Justice, undocumented people are detained less frequently than native-born citizens for violent crimes.
However, prominent incidents like the 2024 murder of nursing student Laken Riley by a Venezuelan immigrant have proven to be powerful forces in the US right.
Noem said on Thursday, “We recognize that there are dangerous criminals, organized, sophisticated cartels, and criminal organizations that we need to address together to put an end to the horrifying things that are happening in our communities every day.”
Trump has repeatedly said he will take action against illegal immigration, calling it an “invasion” and campaigning against “mass deportation.”
Trump designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization, as a “foreign terrorist organization” on the first day of his second term, which was ultimately made official this month.
Additionally, he has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law passed during the war, to deport Venezuelans he claims were gang members to El Salvador’s highest-security cell.
However, a federal appeals court upheld his legal right to use that law on Thursday after his use of it was challenged in court.
Trump has received criticism for his opposition to illegal immigration, including from Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro.
Petro attacked the US president’s treatment of undocumented immigrants from Colombia on social media in January, citing the use of restraints and military aircraft to bring them back to their home country.
He instructed the reversal of two midair US aircraft.
According to Petro, “A migrant is not a criminal and deserves the dignity that a human person deserves.” “It’s why I requested that the US military aircraft carrying Colombian migrants be flown back.”
One of Trump’s first significant diplomatic incidents occurred following his second term in office.
Trump responded by threatening Colombia with 25% tariff increases if Colombia refused to accept the deportees. In the end, Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing leader, gave in.
Laura Sarabia, Colombia’s foreign minister, put forth her country’s commitment to respecting immigrants during the signing ceremony on Thursday.
She claimed that the measures her government’s signing would “ensure that the human rights and the dignity of migrants are actually respected.”
Colombia was the largest recipient of US assistance in South America prior to Trump’s suspension of international aid. It has also played a key role in the “war on drugs” in the US.
The US Department of Homeland Security’s growing use of the International Biometric Information Sharing program has been criticized by some critics.
For instance, the UK-based nonprofit Statewatch has criticized the expanding exchange of government biometric data.
Source: Aljazeera
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