The World Bank Group warned Colombian staff members on Monday not to exit or enter the United States following a travel ban and visa restrictions that President Trump imposed on Colombians a day earlier, after the government in Bogotá briefly rejected U.S. military flights returning illegal immigrants.
The World Bank’s security operations team issued the warning to Colombian staff members, according to a memorandum reviewed by The New York Times. The memo was circulated after the United States revoked visas held by some of the bank’s Colombian staff members that allowed them to work for international diplomatic organizations in the United States. Several of those staff members were traveling in the United States at the time and were deported. The memo noted “enhanced inspections” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The memo said that the World Bank was “closely monitoring the situation and actively engaging with U.S. Government counterparts,” and said, “Please be aware that attempts to enter or leave the U.S. could encounter challenges at the point of departure or upon arrival.”
Two Colombian World Bank staff members arrived at Dulles International Airport on Sunday afternoon, and their G4 visas were revoked upon arrival, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal World Bank matter. They were put on planes going back to Colombia.
Another Colombian staff member was not able to board a plane to the United States on Sunday afternoon, this person said.
Mr. Trump said on Sunday that he would impose sweeping tariffs, sanctions and immigration restrictions on Colombia because it rejected the military flights carrying deportees. The White House said later that day that the Colombian government had relented and that Mr. Trump would hold off on most of those measures. However, the visa restrictions remain in place.
“The visa sanctions issued by the State Department, and enhanced inspections from Customs and Border Protection, will remain in effect until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned” to Colombia, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Sunday evening.
Colombia’s foreign ministry released a statement soon afterward that said, “We have overcome the impasse with the United States government.” It said the government would accept all deportation flights and “guarantee dignified conditions” for those Colombians on board.
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