Colombian migration shifts southward amid Trump’s hardline policies and new barriers in the EU | International

Colombian migration abroad is undergoing significant change. Although the number of people leaving Colombia follows a similar trend — by May 15, 145,000 people had emigrated this year; while in all of 2024, the total was 314,000 — the dynamics have shifted, mainly due to the anti-immigration policies of countries like the United States and the increasing barriers imposed by others such as Mexico and the European Union. This situation has pushed many to look toward new destinations, such as neighboring countries to the south: Chile, Argentina, or Brazil.

Data from Colombia’s Migration Office show that Spain was the main destination for Colombians in 2024, with 107,000 people, and is on track to lead again in 2025. So far this year, more than 64,000 people have immigrated to the European country. The Spanish government, led by Pedro Sánchez from the Socialist Party (PSOE), is one of the few in the European Union that still promotes a relatively open migration policy, with measures such as a draft law for mass regularization.

Spain’s stance contrasts with that of other European countries such as the United Kingdom — which reinstated the visa requirement for Colombians two years after it had been removed — or Germany, where asylum applications from nationals increased exponentially, creating tensions between Berlin and Bogotá. An agreement between both countries at the end of 2024 has already begun to take effect: in the first three months of 2025, those applications fell by 42%.

At the same time, the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has proposed that Colombia be considered a “safe country” in order to limit asylum claims. Colombians were the nationality that submitted the most asylum requests in the EU last year, with more than 50,000 petitions, according to Eurostat.

Meanwhile, under Donald Trump’s administration, the United States has become a challenging environment for migrants, as the government’s policies have caused many to give up on the American dream. Colombian emigration to the United States, which peaked in this decade with 111,000 people in 2021, has gradually declined. So far this year, only 25,000 people have traveled to the U.S. not to return, according to data from Colombia’s Migration Office.

The flow of irregular migrants has also dropped. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), only 365 Colombians were detained at the Mexico border in February — the lowest figure in the last four years, a 97% decrease compared to the same month last year.

The barriers imposed by Trump — persecution, detentions, and deportations of migrants — have impacted the entire flow of people heading north to America. Mexico, the bridge for the vast majority to reach the U.S., is no longer a top destination for Colombians. After three years of surpassing 100,000 emigrants, this year only a little over 6,000 Colombian have permanently moved to Mexico. The number of inadmissions hasn’t helped: in 2024, around 50,000 people were returned to Colombia, many of them travelers who reported mistreatment by Mexican immigration authorities.

A significant movement

Migration doesn’t stop; it changes direction. Obstacles in the north have pushed many to seek alternatives in South America. That is why countries like Brazil, Chile and Argentina are now new focal points. The number of Colombians who emigrated in just the first five months of 2025 to those three countries already exceeds the total for each in 2024.

Simon Tomasi, regional manager of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), an entity attached to the Danish Refugee Council, notes that there is “a less visible but significant movement” toward these countries. “For years, we saw large flows of migrants through the Darién Gap or an increase in asylum requests in Europe; now many are looking for a stable life in the south,” he said in a phone interview.

An MMC survey of 500 Colombian migrants found that those who relocated to other South American countries view the free movement agreements between the Andean Community and Mercosur as a significant advantage. However, the less positive side is reflected in the xenophobia that many report experiencing.

“We are seeing anti-immigrant rhetoric strengthen in the region, which also associates migration with crime. In countries like Chile, for example, more and more people link public insecurity with migrants,” said Tomasi. Far-right figures such as Argentina’s Javier Milei and Chile’s José Antonio Kast echo similar rhetoric to Trump and advocate for measures reminiscent of his policies.

Colombians have continued to leave the country over the last 50 years. This pattern has continued even after 2016, when peace agreements with the FARC guerrilla ended a decades-long war. The dissident factions of this guerrilla and the rise of other armed groups have disrupted the sense of security in various regions of the country. The MMC survey shows that 62% left the country “because of violence, insecurity, and conflict.” Added to this are those who felt they did not earn enough money in their jobs — 81% of the total.

Natural disasters and the effects of climate change have also become significant motivations for Colombians when deciding to migrate. Events such as the drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon, or the floods that affected departments like La Guajira and Chocó during 2024, have increased both internal and external displacement.

“We documented that environmental factors have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable, who are the most likely to migrate outside the country because staying is no longer a viable option,” said Tomasi.

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