Trump holding off on tariffs after Colombia agrees to simply accept deported migrants on army planes, White Home says

Washington — President Trump will maintain off on imposing steep tariffs on Colombia after the nation’s authorities agreed to simply accept deported migrants being returned on army planes, the White Home stated Sunday evening.

Mr. Trump earlier on Sunday vowed swift and punishing retaliation after the Colombian authorities over the weekend blocked the arrival of deportation flights from the U.S., objecting to the Trump administration’s efforts to make use of army planes to deport migrants.

Mr. Trump posted on social media on Sunday that his administration would put in place a number of actions in opposition to Colombia, together with a 25% tariff — that he stated could be raised to 50% after one week — on all items coming into the U.S. from Colombia.

He additionally introduced a journey ban and “rapid visa revocation” for Colombian authorities officers and “their allies,” visa sanctions on Colombian authorities and their family and enhanced customs inspections on vacationers and cargo from Colombia.

“These measures are just the start,” Mr. Trump wrote on his social media platform Fact Social. “We is not going to permit the Colombian Authorities to violate its authorized obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they pressured into the USA!”

However late Sunday evening, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in a press release, “The Authorities of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s phrases, together with the unrestricted acceptance of all unlawful aliens from Colombia returned from the USA, together with on U.S. army plane, with out limitation or delay. Based mostly on this settlement, the absolutely drafted IEEPA tariffs and sanctions can be held in reserve, and never signed, except Colombia fails to honor this settlement.”

“The visa sanctions issued by the State Division, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Safety, will stay in impact till the primary planeload of Colombian deportees is efficiently returned,” Leavitt’s assertion stated.

Colombia’s International Ministry stated in a press release the nation had “overcome the deadlock” with the U.S., and stated its international minister and ambassador would journey to Washington, D.C., “within the subsequent few hours” to proceed discussing the settlement. 

“We’ll proceed to obtain Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them dignified situations, as residents topic to rights,” the International Ministry stated. The ministry’s assertion made no point out of U.S. army planes, however stated Colombia’s presidential aircraft could be used to return migrants who had been scheduled to be deported Sunday morning.

A senior Trump administration official had earlier informed CBS Information the usage of the presidential aircraft wouldn’t be sufficient to stave off Mr. Trump’s proposed tariffs and sanctions.  

A senior administration official earlier Sunday stated Mr. Trump’s actions amounted to “a transparent message” to international locations that they “have an obligation to simply accept repatriation flights.”  

Previous to Sunday evening’s introduced settlement, Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated on social media “Your blockade would not scare me,” and stated Colombia would reply to the raised tariffs with a 50% tariff of its personal on U.S. items. In reference to the journey ban, Petro stated, “I do not actually like touring to the U.S., it is a bit boring.”

Petro additionally predicted the U.S. may “attempt to perform a coup together with your financial power and your vanity, like they did with Allende. … Overthrow me, President, and the Americas and humanity will reply,” Petro wrote.

In a press release, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated it was Colombia’s duty to take again residents who’re illegally within the U.S. “in a severe and expeditious method.”

“Colombian President Petro had approved flights and supplied all wanted authorizations after which canceled his authorization when the planes have been within the air,” Rubio stated. “As demonstrated by as we speak’s actions, we’re unwavering in our dedication to finish unlawful immigration and bolster America’s border safety.”

Later Sunday, the State Division confirmed Rubio had “ordered a suspension of visa issuance on the U.S. Embassy Bogota consular part.”

“Secretary Rubio is now authorizing journey sanctions on people and their households, who have been answerable for the interference of U.S. repatriation flight operations,” the State Division stated. “Measures will proceed till Colombia meets its obligations to simply accept the return of its personal residents. America is not going to again down relating to defending its nationwide safety pursuits.”

A U.S. official informed CBS Information that U.S. Customs and Border Safety was already implementing a journey ban on Colombian authorities officers and diplomats touring with what are often called A and G visas as of Sunday evening. The company had additionally began enhanced customs inspections on cargo from Colombia, the official added. CBP later confirmed these actions in a public assertion.

Earlier on Sunday, Petro stated he rejected the deportation flights as a result of the deportees have been being transported in army plane, arguing such a transfer handled migrants as criminals.

“The USA should set up a protocol for the dignified therapy of migrants earlier than we obtain them,” Petro wrote on social media. He added that he would settle for deportation flights, so long as they have been carried out on civilian planes.

A U.S. official informed CBS that the Colombian migrants who have been scheduled to be deported on Sunday on these planes have been again within the U.S. and can stay in DHS custody till a brand new settlement was reached. 

Two U.S. officers informed CBS Information there have been two Division of Protection planes with migrant deportees anticipated to land in Colombia on Sunday, after departing the San Diego space close to the southern border. However these plans have been scrapped in a single day.

One of many U.S. officers stated the plan was to deport roughly 80 Colombian migrants on every army aircraft.

Colombia’s determination to dam the U.S. deportation flights over the weekend was an early diplomatic setback for the Trump administration because it lays the muse for its promised mass deportation marketing campaign and crackdown on unlawful immigration.

As a part of that crackdown, President Trump has moved to vastly improve the position the U.S. army performs in immigration enforcement, declaring a nationwide emergency to deploy a further 1,500 Military troopers and Marines to the southern border. The troops have been assigned to erect border obstacles and assist Customs and Border Safety in an operational capability. Lengthy-standing authorized limits bar the usage of troopers for the civil enforcement of legal guidelines, together with U.S. immigration regulation.

Earlier within the week, the administration used army plane to deport Guatemalan migrants who had crossed the southern border illegally again to Guatemala, publicizing the transfer as the beginning of their mass deportation effort.

contributed to this report.