The United States and Colombia have signed an agreement of cooperation to share biometric capabilities to tackle criminality and manage undocumented migration.
The memorandum of understanding – settled on 27 March 2025 – will reaffirm the “enduring” partnership between the two countries allowing them to share biometrics, however, will not take the view of migrants as criminals. Colombia was resistant to the US’ view and treatment of migrants as part of deportation plans back to Colombia and almost blocked the agreement.
In January, the Colombian President refused U.S. deportation flights carrying Colombians on human rights grounds. Trump retaliated by imposing higher tariffs and sanctions.
The US claims to know a link between undocumented immigrants and criminality, however studies have shown this ideology is baseless and discriminatory, whilst undocumented immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than US-born citizens. Trump’s campaign targeting undocumented migrants as somehow equating to criminals and enacting a historic wartime law to see them deported was resisted by the left-wing Colombian President.
With tension now diffused, the countries are on much better terms to facilitate the movement of migrants back to their home and having Colombia onboard with the plans to share biometric data will make the cooperation much more efficient. Migrant data will be respected in this process, Noem said, with the real emphasis on strengthening security data with the collection of biometrics so they can disturb the route of threatening actors perpetuating criminal activity or leading illegal migrant trafficking. Colombia could benefit from the biometric capabilities under the U.S. data sharing agreement to monitor who is crossing the border legitimately.
