Rubio’s State Dept caps migration-heavy 1st week with Colombia deportation win: ‘America is not going to again down’
A diplomatic victory over Colombia capped a busy week for the U.S. State Deptment underneath new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who oversaw an company that shortly made border safety and immigration a high precedence — racking up a flurry of actions within the area of every week.
After Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to take U.S. deportation flights carrying Colombian nationals on Sunday, Rubio introduced the quick suspension of the issuing of visas within the nation, in addition to journey sanctions on authorities officers.
“Measures will proceed till Colombia meets its obligations to simply accept the return of its personal residents,” Rubio stated. “America is not going to again down in terms of defending its nationwide safety pursuits.”
RUBIO PAUSES FOREIGN AID FROM STATE DEPARTMENT AND USAID TO ENSURE IT PUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks after being sworn in by Vice President JD Vance within the Vice Presidential Ceremonial Workplace within the Eisenhower Govt Workplace Constructing on the White Home campus on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (AP Picture/Evan Vucci)
Inside hours, Colombia had backed down and agreed to what the White Home stated had been the phrases offered by President Donald Trump. Nonetheless, the administration stated that visa sanctions would stay in impact till the deportations had been obtained.
The diplomatic conflict was a robust end to what has been an immigration-focused week for not solely the administration as an entire, but in addition the State Division. The company was concerned in a number of directions and strikes on visa issuance, migration and funding to international organizations.
On Rubio’s first day in workplace, the division instructed consular officers to place nationwide safety first when reviewing visas and ordered the division to implement enhanced vetting for visa functions from nations the place there are considerations a couple of heightened nationwide safety danger.
NEW SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO PAUSES REFUGEE OPERATIONS, RAMPS UP VISA VETTING
He would later go on to declare the administration’s priorities, which targeted on ending mass migration and ramping up border safety as high priorities.
Migrants who had been deported from the U.S. stand on El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico, late Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Picture/Felix Marquez)
“First, we should curb mass migration and safe our borders. The State Division will not undertake any actions that facilitate or encourage mass migration,” Rubio stated. “Our diplomatic relations with different nations, significantly within the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America’s borders, stopping unlawful and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of unlawful immigrants.”
Individually, a senior State Division official informed Fox Information Digital {that a} worldwide cable clarified that officers should resist pressures to hurry up visa or passport processing on the expense of safety considerations.
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The State Division then additionally paused all new obligations of funding for international help packages via both the State Dept. or U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement. There are longstanding considerations by conservatives that these packages can exacerbate mass migration.
On refugee admissions, the division suspended the Refugee Admissions Program — in response to an govt order by President Trump. It additionally issued a worldwide alert asserting the upcoming modifications to birthright citizenship in response to a different Trump order.
Since then, the division has labored with different businesses on border safety and the implementation of the birthright citizenship order, together with working to cancel a inexperienced card for a Moroccan terrorist, the official stated.
That cooperation was on show on Sunday when a number of businesses labored collectively to cope with the disagreement with Colombia.
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“As demonstrated by at this time’s actions, we’re unwavering in our dedication to finish unlawful immigration and bolster America’s border safety,” Rubio stated.
Fox Information’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
