US partners with Colombia to take on immigration using biometric technologies

The U.S. and Colombia have agreed to partner up to deploy biometric capabilities to help authorities manage migration and stop criminal activity.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem met with Colombia Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia in Bogota on Thursday, where the two signed an agreement to utilize biometric capabilities.

“Today we have signed a statement of intent for biometric cooperation, and it will reaffirm our strong, and our resilient, and our enduring partnership,” Noem said after signing the agreement.

The agreement comes just months after President Donald Trump and Colombia President Gustavo Petro clashed over the treatment of Colombians on deportation flights from the U.S.

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In January, U.S. officials sent two flights of Colombian illegal aliens back to their country of origin, though Petro rejected the flights, saying the U.S. cannot “treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”

Petro also demanded the U.S. establish protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before his country receives them.

In response, Trump threatened to unleash a slew of punishments, including ordering a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Colombia. After a week, Trump added, the tariffs would rise to 50%. Trump also ordered a travel ban and visa revocations for all Colombian government officials, plus “allies and supporters.”

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Ultimately, the two countries came to an agreement and deportations resumed, though Petro has urged Colombian migrants to return home.

Noem acknowledged Colombia’s efforts to resume the repatriation of migrants, adding that the sharing of biometric data will make the cooperation between the U.S. and Colombia more efficient.

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“We’re going to strengthen our regional security systems and make sure that we’re disrupting the movement of threatening actors that perpetuate illegal activity and also facilitate illegal trafficking of migrants across the Western Hemisphere,” she said. “Through this expansion of sharing of biometric data, it will be much more efficient, effective, accurate, and it will also build cooperation that will open doors to new ways that we can continue to work together.”

The memorandum of understanding signed by both Noem and Sarabia is intended to strengthen the sharing of migratory information, the latter said, while also ensuring migrants’ dignity and rights are respected.

Noem was also expected to meet with Petro during her visit.

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis and Landon Mion, as well as Reuters contributed to this report.