Two military flights from the United States that were filled with about 80 illegal Colombian immigrants who had detained and deported by U.S. authorities were refused landing in Colombia, after the Socialist President Gustavo Petro turned the flights away.
In retribution, President Donald Trump announced retaliatory measures, including several that may impact the flow of illegal drugs into the United States:
– Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%.
- – A travel ban and immediate visa revocations on the Colombian government officials, and all allies and supporters.
- – Visa sanctions on all party members, family members, and supporters of the Colombian government.
- – Enhanced customs and border protection inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds.
- – International Emergency Economic Powers Act treasury, banking and financial sanctions to be fully imposed.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump said. “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!”
After he imposed the sanctions, Trump posted this graphic on his TruthSocial page:
Alaska’s congressional representative responded.
“America’s prior leadership vacuum has led to a sense of entitlement among some heads of state that their citizens have a right to reside in our nation at will and without legal admittance. America’s national sovereignty is being reasserted, and those who fail to recognize that sovereignty will find the economic price to be substantial,” said Congressman Nick Begich.
Update: Within hours, Petro has offered his own presidential plane to help repatriate the illegals being deported from the United States, but it’s unclear how future deportations will be handled, since there are well over 130,000 illegal Colombian immigrants in the country, up from the 65,000 believed to be in the USA in 1996.
