But in a statement late on Sunday (local time), the White House said Colombia had agreed to accept the migrants after all and Washington would not impose its threatened penalties.

“The government of Colombia … has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were going to arrive in the country this morning on deportation flights.”

Colombia is the third largest US trading partner in Latin America, while the US is Colombia’s largest trading partner.

Colombia will facilitate ‘dignified return’

It followed a decision by Mexico, which refused a request last week to let a US military aircraft land with migrants.

But he also said Colombia would welcome home deported migrants on civilian planes, and offered his presidential plane to facilitate their “dignified return”.

Trump’s national border emergency

Trump has said he is thinking about imposing 25 per cent duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on 1 February to force further action against illegal immigrants and fentanyl flowing into the US.