International

U.S. Homeland Security Chief tours Latin America as deportation policy sparks tension

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will travel this week to El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico amid controversy over the invocation of an 18th-century wartime law used to expel migrants.

On Wednesday, Noem will visit El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), a mega-prison inaugurated in 2023 to house gang members. She will then meet with President Nayib Bukele, according to her official agenda.

The prison currently holds 238 Venezuelans expelled from the United States under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, accused—without evidence—of belonging to the criminal organization Tren de Aragua. Venezuela has denounced the move as an act of abduction.

Bukele has become a key ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, agreeing to detain deportees in El Salvador’s prisons.

On Thursday, Noem will continue her tour in Colombia, where she is scheduled to meet with President Gustavo Petro. U.S.-Colombia relations faced a brief strain after Petro strongly opposed the transfer of migrants on military planes, following reports of detainees arriving in Colombia wearing shackles.

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Trump responded with tariff threats, prompting Petro to reconsider his stance.

The DHS secretary will conclude her trip on Friday in Mexico, where she will meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is working to ease the economic impact of Trump’s trade war.

Washington imposed a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports to pressure Mexico into intensifying efforts against illegal fentanyl trafficking, a synthetic opioid wreaking havoc in the U.S. Some of these tariffs have been temporarily postponed until April 2.

International

Maduro urges UN to intervene for venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador

Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term in January following his controversial re-election, urged United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to intervene on behalf of Venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador after being deported from the United States.

During a broadcast on the state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Maduro claimed these Venezuelans were “kidnapped”, forcibly disappeared, and held in “concentration camps.”

He also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for failing to release the list of migrants deported on March 16, who were allegedly accused of belonging to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua, which originated in a Venezuelan prison.

“Reports say there are 238 Venezuelans kidnapped in prisons, in concentration camps, in El Salvador. A week after they were taken and thrown into these camps, neither the U.S. government nor Nayib Bukele have published the list of those they have kidnapped in El Salvador,” Maduro stated, calling it a “forced disappearance.”

International

Canada updates U.S. travel advisory amid immigration policy changes

In a coordinated action with several European allies, Canada has updated its travel advisory for citizens visiting the United States, citing changes in immigration policies and law enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Finland have issued similar warnings, highlighting stricter border screenings, tighter visa restrictions, and new federal guidelines that particularly affect transgender and non-binary travelers.

These advisories reflect growing diplomatic concerns over how the recent U.S. policy shifts are impacting foreign visitors, especially tourists and long-term travelers. Additionally, this marks a rare instance in which multiple NATO allies publicly warn their citizens about travel to the United States.

International

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to meet with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on friday

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum next Friday.

According to statements made to Fox News, the Trump administration official will travel this week to El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico.

On Wednesday, Noem is scheduled to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, with whom she will tour the mega-prison built to detain gang members in the country.

On Thursday, she will visit Colombia, where she will hold talks with President Gustavo Petro and top law enforcement officials.

On Friday, Noem will be in Mexico, where she is expected to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente.