Franklin Humberto Coral Garrido, the Colombian progressive activist known online as Beto Coral, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arizona on June 16, 2026. An attorney and former candidate for the Colombian Congress, Coral built a large following as a defender of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a leftist who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration. He now sits in immigration detention facing removal from the United States.
By the account of multiple outlets, Coral entered the United States in December 2015 on a B1/B2 visitor visa that authorized a six-month stay, and remained in the country after it expired — an overstay of roughly ten years. He had been living in Arizona, where reporting says he drove for a rideshare service, and had recently traveled to Miami. Federal agents arrested him on June 16; he was processed for deportation to Colombia on the basis of his immigration status.
Colombian journalist Daniel Coronell reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memorandum concerning Coral’s deportability on the day of the arrest. Coral had publicly criticized Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella.
President Petro publicly denounced the arrest as political persecution of one of his most prominent supporters and demanded an explanation from Washington. The episode unfolded amid broader tensions between the Petro and Trump governments and drew coverage framing it as an instance of U.S. immigration enforcement reaching a foreign government's domestic politics.
