US detains Colombian activist with pending asylum claim

US immigration authorities are detaining Colombian leftist activist Beto Coral, who is in the process of deportation despite having a pending asylum request, EFE confirmed.

Coral possessed a valid work permit at the time of his arrest and was seeking asylum due to political persecution and death threats he claims to have received in Colombia, according to Gimena Sánchez, director for the Andes at the WOLA organization, which has supported Coral's case since 2020.

When questioned by EFE, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred to Coral as an "illegal alien" and stated he violated US laws by remaining in the country after his visa expired. "Coral-Garrido will remain in ICE custody while deportation proceedings continue," a DHS spokesperson told EFE. "Detention is a choice. We encourage all aliens unlawfully present in the country to take control of their departure by utilizing CBP Home."

Coral was arrested Tuesday by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Arizona. In an audio message shared on social media by Colombian lawmakers, Coral alleged that the arresting officers informed him the order to detain him "supposedly" came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The State Department did not respond to EFE's request for comment on this claim.

WOLA, a human rights organization, fears for Coral's safety if he is returned to Colombia. "He has received death threats and intimidation for his stances. A person who has been so openly targeted runs a high risk of something happening to them if deported to Colombia," Sánchez indicated.

The activist's detention occurred days after he participated in a protest in Miami against Abelardo de la Espriella, an ultraright candidate for the Colombian presidency. De la Espriella, who is also a US citizen and has explicit backing from former President Donald Trump, posted an image on social media Tuesday morning, winking at Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who calls himself a "visa remover" for his campaign to revoke visas for foreigners deemed a threat to US interests. "There will be good news for patriotic Colombians abroad," De la Espriella wrote. Sánchez believes Coral's detention is part of a trend where politicians or officials aligned with Trump use their influence in the US to "neutralize or take revenge."