Migration Colombia investigates a hotel in Yarumal for not reporting the accommodation of 26 foreigners from the Lev Tahor sect.
In dialogue with The FMthe regional director of Migration Colombia, Paola Andrea Salazar Gómezconfirmed the opening of an administrative investigation against a hotel in the municipality of Yarumal, Antioquiafor alleged irregularities in the accommodation of members of the Jewish sect Lev Tahor.
The official explained that the action arose after community complaintswhich warned about the presence of a large group of foreign citizens in a hotel establishment in the north of the department. From that information, Colombia Migration announced in November a immigration verification operationwhose results led to the opening of an administrative action that is still active in January 2026.
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“In November of last year we received complaints from the community and, in exercise of the powers granted to us by law, we carried out the corresponding immigration verifications,” said Salazar in dialogue with The FM.
During the inspection, the immigration authority found that the hotel failed to comply with an essential legal obligation: report in the Foreigners Information and Registration System (SIRE) the entry or exit of 26 foreign citizensamong them several minors.
“The hotel establishment did not register the entry or exit of these citizens, which constitutes a serious omission regarding the obligations that hotels have in Colombia,” explained the regional director.
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Migration Colombia indicated that, after this discovery, a administrative investigation which is currently in preliminary stage. According to Salazar, at this moment investigation proceedings are being carried out. evidence collection and versions of the hotel owners are heard, in order to ensure due process.
“Today, in January, the process remains open. We are listening to versions and conducting tests to determine whether or not there is merit for a sanction,” he said.
In relation to the income of the members of the Lev Tahor sect to the country, the official explained that these people entered Colombia at mid-October 2025 through the airports José María Córdovain Rionegro, and Rafael Nunezin Cartagena. Then, there were no international alerts that prevented their entry.
“When they entered the country they did not have Interpol circulars or notifications. The yellow circulars were known on November 13, that is, after entry,” Salazar told The FM.
Once these alerts were known and the information was cross-referenced with the citizen reportsMigración Colombia carried out the November operation and articulated actions with the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) for ensure the protection of minors. The adults were expelled from the countrywhile the children remained in the custody of the competent authorities, in coordination with counterpart entities in USA.
The regional director reiterated that the reporting obligation does not fall only on hotels, but on any natural or legal person who has contractual or accommodation ties with foreigners in Colombia.
“Failure to comply with these obligations can lead to exemplary economic sanctions, which today can range from five million and more than 130 million pesos”, he warned.
Migration Colombia assured that the investigation against the Yarumal hotel continues its course and that only when the administrative procedure is concluded will it be determined whether or not there are sanctions, reiterating that these actions seek prevent crimes such as human trafficking and the violation of the rights of children and adolescents.
Source: Integrated Information System
