A diplomatic victory over Colombia capped a busy week for the U.S. State Deptment under new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who oversaw an agency that quickly made border security and immigration a top priority — racking up a flurry of actions in the space of a week.
After Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to take U.S. deportation flights carrying Colombian nationals on Sunday, Rubio announced the immediate suspension of the issuing of visas in the country, as well as travel sanctions on government officials.
“Measures will continue until Colombia meets its obligations to accept the return of its own citizens,” Rubio said. “America will not back down when it comes to defending its national security interests.”
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 in the Vice Presidential Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Within hours, Colombia had backed down and agreed to what the White House said were the terms provided by President Donald Trump. However, the administration said that visa sanctions would remain in effect until the deportations were received.
The diplomatic clash was a strong finish to what has been an immigration-focused week for not only the administration as a whole, but also the State Department. The agency was involved in multiple instructions and moves on visa issuance, migration and funding to foreign organizations.
On Rubio’s first day in office, the department instructed consular officers to put national security first when reviewing visas and ordered the department to implement enhanced vetting for visa applications from countries where there are concerns about a heightened national security risk.
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 focused on ending mass migration and ramping up border security as top priorities.
Migrants who were deported from the U.S. stand on El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico, late Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
“First, we must curb mass migration and secure our borders. The State Department will no longer undertake any activities that facilitate or encourage mass migration,” Rubio said. “Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing America’s borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants.”
Separately, a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital that a worldwide cable clarified that officials must resist pressures to speed up visa or passport processing at the expense of security concerns.
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The State Department then also paused all new obligations of funding for foreign aid programs through either the State Dept. or U.S. Agency for International Development. There are longstanding concerns by conservatives that those programs can exacerbate mass migration.
On refugee admissions, the department suspended the Refugee Admissions Program — in response to an executive order by President Trump. It also issued a worldwide alert announcing the upcoming changes to birthright citizenship in response to another Trump order.
Since then, the department has worked with other agencies on border security and the implementation of the birthright citizenship order, including working to cancel a green card for a Moroccan terrorist, the official said.
That cooperation was on display on Sunday when multiple agencies worked together to deal with the disagreement with Colombia.
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“As demonstrated by today’s actions, we are unwavering in our commitment to end illegal immigration and bolster America’s border security,” Rubio said.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
