--- title: "Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-and-deportations" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-and-deportations" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-and-deportations.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-and-deportations" category: "Politics" area: "Latin America" published: "2026-08-25T01:25:16.608Z" source_reported: "2026-08-24T23:09:28.000Z" updated: "2026-08-25T01:25:16.608Z" trust_score: 50 critic_score: 58 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-25T01:15:34.163381+00:00" --- # Colombian President Orders Immigration Raids and Deportations *New policy targets migrants without legal status, a shift from previous protections.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 50 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to named bodies and specific figures provided, but relies on anonymous sourcing for some details. - Craft 58 of 100, higher is better. Reports include quotes from affected individuals and mention future actions, but lack context on why the story matters. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise deportations and raids, with some outlets using strong language, but the body is more measured. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - 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. 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. ## Who covered it Shares of the 16 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 56% (9) - Centre: 31% (5) - Right: 13% (2) 0 of 16 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-25T01:15:34.163381+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-25T01:30:33.480Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - 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 - 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 - 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. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 5 - high: 8 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/world/2026/08/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations-of-migrants-without-legal-status) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/americas/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations-of-migrants-without-legal-status/article_ca0bba70-661c-55e0-b491-75499728c887.html) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/news/world/americas/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations-of-migrants-without-legal-status/article_785e53f8-b882-5127-b20a-8ae11e16391a.html) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/venezuela-bogota-donald-trump-ivan-duque-gdp-b3038549.html) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/colombia-de-la-espriella-migrants-president-venezuelans-raids-crime-05bb694f97b18a1d449e0926fe8f94e6) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [Washington Times](https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/24/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/venezuela-bogota-donald-trump-ivan-duque-gdp-b3038549.html) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [RecentlyHeard: Breaking News, Latest News, Coronavirus News](https://recentlyheard.com/abelardo-de-la-espriella-ordena-la-deportacion-inmediata-de-los-inmigrantes-irregulares-se-van-es-una-decision-politica) — Abelardo De La Espriella Orders Immediate Deportation of Irregular Immigrants: “They’re Leaving, It’s a Political Decision” - [Merco Press](https://en.mercopress.com/2026/08/24/colombia-orders-deportation-of-irregular-migrants-after-a-decade-as-the-main-host-country) — Colombia orders deportation of irregular migrants after a decade as the main host country - [Hindustan Times](https://hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/new-colombian-president-announces-anti-migrant-crackdown-101787605295160.html) — New Colombian President Announces Anti-Migrant Crackdown - [Efecto Cocuyo](https://efectococuyo.com/internacionales/presidente-de-colombia-ordena-operativos-contra-migrantes-que-esten-en-situacion-irregular) — President of Colombia Orders Operations Against Migrants in an Irregular Situation - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/americas/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations-of-migrants-without-legal-status/article_06fe7b36-167d-5c39-a39f-9bbea9126adf.html) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [Daily Post Nigeria](https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/24/colombias-president-orders-deportation-drive-against-illegal-migrants) — Colombia’s President orders deportation drive against illegal migrants - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/24/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-vows-deportations-of-migrants-without-legal-status) — Colombian president orders immigration raids, vows deportations of migrants without legal status - [The Rio Times](https://riotimesonline.com/colombia-deportation-order-criminal-groups-2026) — Colombia Criminal Groups Face Deportation Order and New Offensive - [Punch Newspapers](https://punchng.com/colombia-president-orders-illegal-migrant-deportations) — Colombia president orders illegal migrant deportations ## Questions **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. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/colombian-president-orders-immigration-raids-and-deportations. 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