The U.S. and Colombia have agreed to spouse as much as deploy biometric features to assist government manage migration and forestall illegal activity.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem met with Colombia Overseas Minister Laura Sarabia in Bogota on Thursday, the place the 2 signed an settlement to make use of biometric features.
“Lately we now have signed a commentary of intent for biometric cooperation, and it is going to reaffirm our sturdy, and our resilient, and our enduring partnership,” Noem mentioned after signing the settlement.
The settlement comes simply months after President Donald Trump and Colombia President Gustavo Petro clashed over the remedy of Colombians on deportation flights from the U.S.
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U.S. Place of origin Safety Secretary Kristi Noem meets with Colombian Overseas Minister Laura Sarabia in Bogota, Colombia, March 27, 2025. (Alex Brandon/Pool by means of REUTERS)
In January, U.S. officers despatched two flights of Colombian unlawful extraterrestrial beings again to their nation of beginning, despite the fact that Petro rejected the flights, announcing the U.S. can not “deal with Colombian migrants as criminals.”
Petro additionally demanded the U.S. identify protocol for the dignified remedy of migrants ahead of his nation receives them.
In reaction, Trump threatened to unharness a slew of punishments, together with ordering a 25% tariff on all items getting into the U.S. from Colombia. After per week, Trump added, the price lists would upward push to 50%. Trump additionally ordered a shuttle ban and visa revocations for all Colombian govt officers, plus “allies and supporters.”
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Colombian Overseas Minister Laura Sarabia provides a joint press convention with U.S. Place of origin Safety Secretary Kristi Noem after signing a Biometric Knowledge Sharing Program Letter of Intent in Bogota, Colombia, March 27, 2025. (Alex Brandon/Pool by means of REUTERS)
In the end, the 2 nations got here to an settlement and deportations resumed, despite the fact that Petro has advised Colombian migrants to go back house.
Noem acknowledged Colombia’s efforts to renew the repatriation of migrants, including that the sharing of biometric information will make the cooperation between the U.S. and Colombia extra environment friendly.
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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem appears on at first of a Senate Place of origin Safety and Governmental Affairs Committee listening to on her nomination to be Secretary of Place of origin Safety, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2025. (Picture by way of SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Picture by way of SAUL LOEB/AFP by means of Getty Pictures) (Getty)
“We are going to fortify our regional safety methods and make certain that we are disrupting the motion of threatening actors that perpetuate criminal activity and likewise facilitate unlawful trafficking of migrants around the Western Hemisphere,” she mentioned. “Via this growth of sharing of biometric information, it is going to be a lot more environment friendly, efficient, correct, and it is going to additionally construct cooperation that can open doorways to new ways in which we will be able to proceed to paintings in combination.”
The memorandum of figuring out signed by way of each Noem and Sarabia is meant to fortify the sharing of migratory knowledge, the latter mentioned, whilst additionally making sure migrants’ dignity and rights are revered.
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Noem was once additionally anticipated to fulfill with Petro all over her seek advice from.
Fox Information Virtual’s Andrea Margolis and Landon Mion, in addition to Reuters contributed to this file.
