In the first week of President Trump’s second term, the global balance of power has already experienced striking changes. He followed his inauguration with a swift crackdown on illegal immigration. Reuters explains that immediately after taking office on Monday, January 20th, he declared illegal immigration a national emergency, directed the U.S. military to help with border security, issued a broad ban on asylum, and eliminated automatic citizenship for children born on U.S. soil. While these extreme actions were seen as heroic to his loyal base of supporters, South American leaders did not take lightly to his frequent dehumanization of undocumented immigrants. Brazil and Colombia, in particular, vehemently opposed his deportation policies.
After 88 Brazilians were flown back to their homeland – in handcuffs – following their deportation from the United States, government officials denounced Washington over the ‘degrading treatment’ of the passengers and ‘flagrant disregard’ for their rights. According to USA Today, when the plane landed in the northern city of Manaus, Brazilian authorities ordered US officials to “immediately remove the handcuffs.” According to France 24, Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of “the flagrant disregard for the fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens.”
Upon learning of the situation, President Lula ordered a Brazilian Air Force aircraft to transport the Brazilians to their final destination, in order to ensure that they could complete their journey with dignity and safety, said the statement from the justice ministry. The conditions on the ICE charter jet were horrific. Edgar Da Silva Moura, a 31-year-old computer technician, told journalists of his experience on the flight after seven months in detention in the United States. “On the plane they didn’t give us water, we were tied hands and feet, they wouldn’t even let us go to the bathroom,” he told the Agence France-Presse (AFP). Footage aired on Brazilian television showed passengers descending from the plane with their hands handcuffed and their ankles shackled.
Colombia took a different approach to stop Trump’s deportation plan. According to USA Today, Colombia President Gustavo Petro suspended U.S. deportation flights, saying the Trump administration must first establish a protocol to treat migrants with dignity before he’ll accept the flights. “The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro wrote in a post on X, adding that the government in Washington should develop a protocol that “treats migrants with dignity”. Reuters reported later that same day that Colombia had turned away two US military aircraft that were carrying 160 deported migrants. According to The Guardian, the planes had already departed from California when the South American country pulled their clearances. The President said: “I cannot force migrants to remain in a country that does not want them. But if that country returns them, it must be with dignity and respect – for both them and our nation. In civilian planes, and without treating them like criminals, we will welcome our compatriots. Colombia deserves respect.” After these inflammatory comments, Trump announced retaliatory measures against Colombia on Sunday. According to USA Today, these measures include doubling tariffs on Colombian exports to the US from 25% to 50% and enhanced inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo entering the US. He also said Colombian officials, allies, and supporters would see their visas revoked and travel to the U.S. banned. In a statement posted to the Truth Social media site (which he owns), Trump said, “These measures are just the beginning. 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!” Petro responded to Trump’s hostility by saying he would offer his presidential plane to ensure the “dignified” return of Colombian deportees. These events will continue to unfold as Trump enforces mass deportations and South American leaders refuse to accept them.
Written by Sirisha Kunamemni
