Trump Immigration Policies End Refugee Programs and Begin Deportation Flights
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Today on State of the World, international repercussions of the new Trump administration's immigration policies from Afghanistan and Colombia.

You're listening to State of the World from NPR, the day's most vital international stories, up close, where they are happening. It's Monday, January 27th. I'm Christine Arismith. President Donald Trump suspended America's refugee program within hours of his inauguration.

Trump argues the country does not have the capacity to absorb large numbers of such migrants. And so thousands of people who were waiting to reach the United States after years of vetting found themselves in limbo. They include Afghans who worked with America in Afghanistan and those who fought alongside American forces. NPR's Dia Hadid brings us a few of their stories. This is not easy.

Soraya asks not to use her full name because her safety is at risk. She used to work on women's rights projects with the US Embassy in Kabul. But she fled the country after the Taliban overran the capital more than three years ago.

She knew her life was in danger because shadowy assassins, believed to be linked to the Taliban, had been killing women like her even before they seized power. Feminists collaborating with the enemy to spread immoral Western ideas.

Surya went to neighbouring Pakistan and from there she applied for asylum in the US and it was accepted. We were waiting for the flight. Unfortunately now it is like suspended. Suspended after President Trump suspended America's refugee program. Surya says she and her family can't believe it. It's a shock, believe me. It's a shock and I don't know what to do. If I go back to Afghanistan, I will be prosecuted or even be killed by Taliban.

She says it wasn't meant to be like this. She was meant to be evacuated after the Taliban overran Kabul, but she and thousands of others who had worked with US diplomats and forces in Afghanistan weren't able to get on planes during America's chaotic exit from the country.

That exit was set in motion after the first Trump administration signed a deal with the Taliban to withdraw after nearly 20 years in the country. As the U.S. left, service members lobbied for their Afghan allies to be given asylum. Afghan service members who...

fought alongside us, bled alongside us. Sean Van Driver is from Afghan Evac, a non-profit that helps resettle America's Afghan allies. He says those people also include civilians. These are lawyers and judges, prosecutors who put the Taliban away. He says about 200,000 Afghans have already arrived as refugees to the United States. Several thousand more came into the country through a different pipeline. And

And there's about another 50,000 still waiting for asylum. They're now in limbo. Van Driver says he hopes President Trump's administration... Can do a carve-out for our wartime allies. Many of them, like Suraya, are waiting in neighbouring Pakistan. They're not welcome. The second phase of a controversial plan to deport Afghan refugees from Pakistan is set to begin.

Pakistan has been deporting hundreds of thousands of Afghans. And Suraya, whose asylum to the US has been suspended, is afraid she and her family will be forced to return. Police of Pakistan is searching for Afghans.

Others who were waiting to fly to the US are hiding in Afghanistan. Like Roshangar, he asks we don't use his full name because he's been on the run.

He says the Taliban want his head because... I had worked alongside US pilots reviewing and approving signing a strike against Taliban. Roshangar says he was waiting to do a medical check. It's one of the last steps in the US asylum process. Now...

The Trump administration turned its back to us. He is unfortunately putting our lives in grave danger. Roshangar says suspending asylum to people like him goes beyond the harm it will likely cause America's Afghan allies.

I think Mr Trump is sending messages to his allies that we are not going to keep our promise. We will turn our back to you when it's a dark time. He says maybe one day, when America seeks help again, former allies, countries and people will turn their backs too. Dia Hadid, NPR News, Mumbai. Now to Colombia.

The White House is claiming victory in a deportation showdown with the country. The Latin American ally initially turned back U.S. military planes carrying deported migrants. That brought Colombia and the U.S. to the brink of a trade war.

As reporter John Otis reports from Bogota, the two countries threatened each other with tariffs before Colombia backed down. On Sunday, the Trump administration tried to send two military aircraft loaded with 160 deportees back to Colombia. But when the planes were already in the air, Colombian President Gustavo Petro revoked their landing rights.

Trump responded by threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Colombian imports, financial sanctions, and visa restrictions on Colombian government officials. It looks like Trump is trying to make an example of Colombia for all countries that might be reluctant to take these planes.

That's Adam Isaacson of the Washington Office on Latin America, which advocates for human rights in the Americas. He points out that Trump has also sparred with Mexico and has threatened to seize the Panama Canal. Trump, especially with the Americas, seems to be choosing bullying and humiliation as one of the central tactics in order to get his way.

Until recently, the left-wing Petro government had been cooperating with the U.S. Last year, according to U.S. government figures, Colombia accepted 124 deportation flights. However, those were civilian flights. Now, Trump is using military aircraft, and there have been complaints of mistreatment. Last week, deported Brazilians arrived home in handcuffs and were subjected to, quote, degrading treatment, according to the Brazilian government.

In a post on X, Petro said he would not accept deportation flights until migrants are treated with respect. And after learning of Trump's sanctions, Petro announced reciprocal tariffs on U.S. imports and said in a message to Trump, quote, your blockade doesn't frighten me. But apparently, Petro had second thoughts. The U.S. tariffs would have affected coffee, flowers, and more than 11,000 other Colombian goods.

Late Sunday night, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced that the impasse was over and that the country would, in fact, continue to receive deportation flights. The White House claimed Colombia had agreed to all of Trump's terms, including the use of military aircraft for deportation.

Isaacson pointed out that Colombia has been Washington's most loyal ally in Latin America for the past quarter century. You need Colombia's cooperation on the fight against cocaine. They're a key trading partner, longstanding military cooperation. That's why he said blowing up bilateral relations over immigration makes little sense. For NPR News, I'm John Otis in Bogota, Colombia. That's the state of the world from NPR. Thanks for listening.

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