Colombian deportees sent to Congo by U.S. seek asylum in Spain after harrowing ordeal

Lorena López, Carlos Rodelo and Daniela were detained by U.S. immigration authorities, granted Convention Against Torture protection, and then expelled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April 2026 as part of a policy that routes migrants to third nations. In Kinshasa they were housed in a hotel with severe restrictions, limited food, power cuts and malaria risk, while learning about the escalating conflict in eastern DRC.

With the help of lawyers and the International Organization for Migration, they obtained new passports and fled the country - López and Rodelo arriving in Spain in June, Daniela earlier to France. In Valencia, CEAR is providing legal and psychological aid as they file for international protection, though Spain grants such status to only a small fraction of Colombian applicants. Their experience reflects a wider trend documented by Human Rights First and Refugees International, which reports over 25,000 forced relocations by the United States to more than 35 partner countries since 2025.