Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations
New policy targets migrants without legal status, a shift from previous protections.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella salutes after taking the oath of office in Cali, Colombia, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
Photograph: Associated Press News (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered immigration raids and vowed to deport migrants without legal status.
- The new policy prioritizes deporting migrants who commit crimes, followed by those without regularized status.
- Colombia has hosted approximately 2.8 million Venezuelans, making it the largest diaspora country.
- This directive represents a policy reversal from Colombia's previous approach of protecting and offering residency to Venezuelan migrants.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 16 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. Coverage measured .
Trust
50/100
Craft
58/100
Hype
45/100
16 sources · methodology
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered immigration raids and vowed to deport migrants who lack legal status in the country. The new policy, announced in a video released on Sunday, will first target migrants committing crimes, and then those without regularized status. President de la Espriella stated, "I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from. They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for."
Colombia has been the primary host nation for Venezuelans fleeing their country's economic crisis, with around 2.8 million residing there as of August. This new directive signifies a departure from the nation's prior immigration policies, which had focused on protecting and providing pathways to residency for Venezuelan migrants. Under a scheme initiated in 2021, Colombia had previously granted temporary residence permits to approximately 2.3 million Venezuelans.
Divergent views on the policy
Left-wing senator Maria Jose Pizarro has criticised the president's directive, accusing him of proposing "a Colombian ICE" and labelling the policy "pure xenophobia and hatred of the poor." She argued that "Migration is not a crime, it's a human right," and that "behind every migrant is a story of survival." Conversely, some Colombians on social media have supported the measure, linking migrants to increased crime rates, while others have defended Venezuelan migrants as hardworking contributors to the economy.
What the coverage left out
None of the left, centre, or right-rated reports mention the specific number of migrants President de la Espriella intends to deport, nor do they detail the timeline for the implementation of the new director's appointment for Migracion Colombia, as reported by AP News.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 25 Aug 2026, 01:30, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
9 rated outlets
- Nine left-rated reports led on President de la Espriella's order for immigration raids and his vow to deport migrants without legal status. These reports consistently highlighted that Colombia has been the main host country for Venezuelans, with around 2.8 million living there as of August. They also noted that the new policy marks a shift from Colombia's previous approach of protecting and granting pathways to residency for Venezuelan migrants. The left-rated reports quoted left-wing senator Maria Jose Pizarro, who accused the president of proposing 'a Colombian ICE' and called the directive 'pure xenophobia and hatred of the poor'.
Centre
5 rated outlets
- Five centre-rated reports focused on the new Colombian president's announcement of an anti-migrant crackdown and his order for immigration raids. They stated that President Abelardo de la Espriella instructed authorities to detain undocumented foreigners convicted of crimes with a view to deporting them. These reports also mentioned that Colombia has been the main destination for Venezuelans fleeing their country's economic crisis, with approximately 2.8 million residing there as of June. The centre-rated reports included senator Maria Jose Pizarro's reaction, where she accused the president of proposing 'a Colombian ICE' and called the directive 'pure xenophobia and hatred of the poor'.
Right
2 rated outlets
- Two right-rated reports highlighted Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella's order for immigration raids and his vow to deport migrants without legal status, stating that the policy aims to reduce crime. The Rio Times mentioned that President de la Espriella also reported 1,574 captures and intensified actions against criminal groups. The Washington Times digest noted that the president's immigration policies are intended to reduce crime.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations?
- Of the 16 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 56% are rated left, 31% are rated centre, 13% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 16 rated outlets on this story, 56% are rated left, 31% are rated centre, 13% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations biased?
- Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations is one event reported by 16 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations?
- 16 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the new policy regarding migrants in Colombia?
- Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered immigration raids and vowed to deport migrants without legal status. The policy prioritizes deporting those who commit crimes, followed by individuals without regularized status. This marks a significant shift from previous policies that offered protection and pathways to residency.
- How many Venezuelans live in Colombia?
- As of August, Colombia has been the main host country for Venezuelans fleeing their country's economic crisis, with approximately 2.8 million residing there. This makes Colombia the largest host nation for the Venezuelan diaspora.
- What has been Colombia's previous approach to Venezuelan migrants?
- Previously, Colombia had a policy focused on protecting and granting pathways to residency for Venezuelan migrants. Under a scheme initiated in 2021, the country had provided temporary residence permits to about 2.3 million Venezuelans before the new directive.
Read it at the source
16 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
9- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens The Hamilton Spectator in a new tab)
The Hamilton Spectator — is The Hamilton Spectator biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens The Toronto Star in a new tab)
The Toronto Star — is The Toronto Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombia orders deportation of irregular migrants after a decade as the main host country (opens Merco Press in a new tab)
Merco Press — is Merco Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- President of Colombia Orders Operations Against Migrants in an Irregular Situation (opens Efecto Cocuyo in a new tab)
Efecto Cocuyo — is Efecto Cocuyo biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
5- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Abelardo De La Espriella Orders Immediate Deportation of Irregular Immigrants: “They’re Leaving, It’s a Political Decision” (opens RecentlyHeard in a new tab)
RecentlyHeard — is RecentlyHeard biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New Colombian President Announces Anti-Migrant Crackdown (opens Hindustan Times in a new tab)
Hindustan Times — is Hindustan Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombia’s President orders deportation drive against illegal migrants (opens Daily Post Nigeria in a new tab)
Daily Post Nigeria — is Daily Post Nigeria biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
2- Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status (opens Washington Times in a new tab)
Washington Times — is Washington Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Colombia Criminal Groups Face Deportation Order and New Offensive (opens The Rio Times in a new tab)
The Rio Times — is The Rio Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
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