Colombia Offers Incentives for Migrants to Return From US

Colombia President Gustavo Petro has called on undocumented Colombians living in the United States to return home, promising government support for those who do so.

The initiative, announced on Petro’s X account last Friday, comes as Colombia navigates a diplomatic standoff with the U.S. over deportation flights and trade tariffs.

Newsweek reached out to the Office of the Presidency of Colombia and the Colombian Department of Social Prosperity via email and WhatsApp for comment on Friday.

Why It Matters

Two Colombian Air Force planes carrying deportees from the U.S. landed at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá on Tuesday, following a weekend standoff between U.S. President Donald Trump and Petro.

On Sunday, Petro refused to accept two U.S. military planes carrying migrants, prompting Trump to threaten 25 percent tariffs on Colombian exports. The standoff ended when Colombia agreed to accept the migrants on the condition that they were not flown back on military aircraft—a move Petro argued was necessary to preserve the deportees’ dignity.

Trump made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign, and Americans largely support his mass deportation plans. A New York Times/Ipsos poll carried out from January 2 to 10 found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported deportations. Eighty-eight percent supported “Deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.” Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.

What To Know

While tensions between the U.S. and Colombia have eased, Petro continues to speak out against Trump’s immigration policies. On Friday, he announced new incentives aimed at encouraging the large undocumented Colombian population in the U.S. to return home.

“I ask undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to immediately leave their jobs in that country and return to Colombia as soon as possible,” Petro posted on X, formerly Twitter.

As part of the plan, returnees will have access to government-backed loans to help start businesses or integrate into existing economic programs.

“Wealth is produced only by working people. The Department of Social Prosperity, DPS, will seek to provide productive loans to returnees who enroll in its programs. Let’s build social wealth in Colombia.”

In 2024 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 134,676 apprehensions of Colombian nationals attempting to cross the southern border illegally. The Migration Policy Institute estimates that around 200,000 undocumented Colombians currently live in the U.S., though the actual number may be higher.

However, Petro’s call has raised concerns in Colombia, particularly over the potential economic impact. Many families rely on remittances sent by relatives working abroad. According to Banco de la República, Colombia’s central bank, remittances totaled $12.64 billion in 2023, with 42 percent coming from the U.S.

What People Are Saying

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a statement earlier this week: “The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”

U.S. border czar Tom Homan, on Fox News: “First of all, we’ve got President Trump. They will take them back, I’m convinced. I’ve already got several countries lining up, willing to take nationals from any country for us…If we can’t move them one place, we’ll put them somewhere else.”

Colombia President Gustavo Petro, on X: “The Statue of Liberty no longer shines. It is up to the youth of the United States and the working men and women to reignite the light.”

What Happens Next

Colombia has agreed to allow U.S. military aircraft carrying deported migrants to land in the country, avoiding the threat of tariffs and ensuring uninterrupted trade. However, Leavitt confirmed that the U.S. remains prepared to impose tariffs if the situation changes.