Colombian diaspora in US urges President De la Espriella to aid undocumented workers

Colombian community leaders in New York and New Jersey are pressing newly elected president Abelardo de la Espriella to use his favorable relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump to protect undocumented Colombian laborers. They demand better consular services, faster passport processing, and a reopening of the “ventanilla social” program that helps newcomers navigate city services.

Activists also call for stronger business and university exchanges between Colombia and the United States, and for the hiring of locally‑fluent staff at consulates instead of career diplomats to improve assistance for seniors and other vulnerable groups. The diaspora emphasizes that their remittances constitute Colombia’s most reliable source of income and that their overseas votes helped secure de la Espriella’s election, arguing that the new administration should not forget its obligations to them.