President Donald Trump slaps Colombia with tariffs: A message to all on Migrant Deportations?

Jan 27, 2025

New Delhi, January 27 (ANI): In a bold move signalling his administration's stance on immigration, President Donald Trump is making it clear to Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, that failure to cooperate with U.S. migrant deportations will result in swift and severe retaliatory measures. On January 26th, George Mason University Professor Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera weighed in on the developing situation, emphasising Trump's tough message to the region. The tension flared on Sunday when Colombian President Gustavo Petro took a firm stance against U.S. deportation practices, refusing to allow two U.S. military deportation flights to land on Colombian soil. Petro condemned the deportations, stating they treated migrants like criminals. Trump wasted no time in responding. In retaliation, he announced a range of punitive measures, including a 25% tariff on all Colombian goods entering the U.S., set to increase to 50% in just one week. The response also included travel bans, visa revocations for Colombian officials, and emergency financial sanctions targeting Colombia’s treasury and banking systems. The use of U.S. military aircraft to carry out these deportations is part of the Pentagon's broader response to Trump's national emergency declaration on immigration earlier in the month, on January 20th. Correa-Cabrera noted that while deportations have often been conducted similarly—treating undocumented migrants as criminals—these heightened tensions reflect Trump’s determination to assert his power as a new administration settles in. Additionally, the clash between the U.S. and Petro underscores the ideological divide between the two leaders. The diplomatic spat didn't stop there. Colombia, the third-largest U.S. trading partner in Latin America, swiftly retaliated by threatening a 50% tariff on U.S. goods. But in a surprising twist, Petro also announced that Colombia would welcome deported migrants back on civilian planes, rather than military ones. Trump’s swift and harsh measures illustrate his aggressive foreign policy, showing a renewed willingness to make countries comply with U.S. demands—by force if necessary. According to Correa-Cabrera, the president is also sending a message to Mexico, which, like Colombia, has faced U.S. pressure over undocumented migrants. Mexico, which has a far larger number of undocumented migrants in the U.S. than Colombia, also recently refused to allow a U.S. military aircraft to land carrying deported migrants. But despite this, Trump has not taken similar retaliatory actions against Mexico, possibly due to the country’s status as the largest U.S. trading partner in the region. However, Trump does not back down from his tough stance on immigration. He has hinted that starting February 1st, he may impose 25% tariffs on imports from both Canada and Mexico, aiming to push for more aggressive action against illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. The Trump administration is raising the stakes in its immigration policies—using tariffs, sanctions, and military action to force Latin American nations into compliance. As tensions rise, all eyes will be on how countries like Colombia and Mexico respond in the coming weeks.