Columbia blinked after a confrontation with the US on accepting illegal immigrants following which US paused sanctions and tariffs on Colombia. The announcement by the White House came after Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro each threatened increased retaliatory tariffs after Petro turned away two US military aircraft full of detained Colombian migrants.

Late on Sunday night the White House said, “The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the US, including on its military aircraft, without limitation or delay," Press Secretary Karolina Leavitte said.

Based on this agreement, the fully drafted IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Power Act) tariffs and sanctions will be held in reserve, and not signed, unless Colombia fails to honour this agreement, she said.

The visa sanctions issued by the State Department, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection, will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned, she said. Today's events make clear to the world that America is respected again, she said.

“President Trump will continue to fiercely protect our nation's sovereignty, and he expects all other nations of the world to fully cooperate in accepting the deportation of their citizens illegally present in the United States," Leavitte said.

BBC reports Petro, an X user, said he had “barred US planes carrying Colombian mig­rants from entering our territory” as “the US can’t treat Colombian migr­ants like criminals”. He demanded the US put procedures in place for migrants to be “treated with dignity”. Colombia has accepted deportation flights from the US in the past.

In 2024, 124 planes carrying deported migrants from the US landed in the country. But President Petro appeared to object to the return of deportees on military rather than civilian flights - and to the way the migrants may be treated on those military flights.

On X, Petro referenced a news video showing migrants deported from the US to Brazil, who had been handcuffed and had their feet restrained during the deportation flight.