Kristi Noem announces US-Colombia agreement for biometric data sharing and security cooperation

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met Thursday in Bogota, Colombia, with left-wing President Gustavo Petro, with whom she discussed migration and security issues while achieving an agreement in principle to exchange biometric data that will serve to fight transnational crime more efficiently.

"I'm here in Colombia today, and I just completed meetings with the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of defense. We together signed an agreement that talks about biometric data sharing, which means that we're going to be able to share information between the United States and Colombia in a new way, which will help us target criminal activity," said Noem in a video on X.

"We'll be able to go after organized crime, cartels, those who perpetuate violence in our communities each and every day," the U.S. secretary of homeland security continued. "So this is a strengthening of a relationship because of President Trump. I'm so grateful for his leadership, that he's bringing people to the table to help make sure that we're going after illegal immigrants, illegal criminals, and those who are threatening the safety of Americans. With this, we are making America safe again."

In a separate statement, the Colombian government highlighted the visit, the first by a high-ranking U.S. official since Trump took office again, and explained that Noem and Minister of Foreign Affairs Laura Sarabia signed a letter of intent with the interest of advancing in the biometric data exchange mechanism with the objective of strengthening migratory information.

"This cooperation mechanism has so far facilitated more than 1,700 deportations and 1,000 arrests, strengthening joint efforts in security and migration control," the Colombian presidency said in the statement. Noem said the same in her announcement.

In addition to President Petro and Foreign Minister Sarabia, also present at the meeting were Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez Suárez and Colombian Peace Commissioner Advisor Otty Patiño.

On the U.S. side, Noem was accompanied by the chargé d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in Colombia, John McNamara.

McNamara assumed the role because Daniel Newlin, nominated by President Trump to be the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.