Colombia deployed two U.S. planes in the air with migrants

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Colombian President Gustavo Petro first authorized the return of illegal migrants to the country, and then canceled his decision when the plane with them was already in the air. A statement on the State Department's website on January 26 said.

"President Petro of Colombia authorized the flights and provided all the necessary permits, and then rescinded his authorization when the planes were in the air," Rubio said.

The secretary of state emphasized that United States authorities are unwavering in their commitment to ending illegal immigration and strengthening the country's border security.

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Earlier in the day, Petro said Colombia was refusing to accept U.S. planes carrying deportable Colombians. He said it was necessary to establish a protocol to treat the migrants with dignity before Colombia would start accepting them again. It was later revealed that Colombia had deployed two US military planes bound for the Latin American country with about 160 deportable migrants on board.

The first U.S. planes carrying the migrants arrived in Guatemala on Jan. 24. On board the aircraft were 48 men, 31 women and one unaccompanied youth. They were all registered and were provided with food, clothing, and psychological care.

Earlier, on January 22, Trump restricted the right of illegal migrants who entered the United States through the southern border. He instructed the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the State Department to take all necessary measures to immediately repel, repatriate and remove illegal immigrants across the country's southern border.