Colombia has decided to put an end to the passage through its territory of part of the controversial ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor, following a joint operation in the municipality of Yarumal, Antioquia. Law enforcement, in an operation led by Migracion Colombia together with the National Army and supported by several state institutions, recently rescued minors who were under the custody of this community in a hotel in the municipality.
The findings triggered an international alert, given that among the children were several who appeared in reports of disappearance and possible trafficking, which prompted the decision to expel the adults involved and transfer the minors to the United States.
The expulsion was carried out this Monday: Nine adults were deported, and 17 children traveling with them were placed under the custody of U.S. authorities in New York, where they will be cared for by child protection services.
According to authorities, the move was a way to prevent the sect from establishing a new colony on Colombian soil, which could have enabled a potential permanent foothold for its activities in the country.
Colombia expels members of ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor to the US
The sweep that exposed Lev Tahor in Colombia took place after tracking the movements of several families who entered the country at the end of October, coming mainly from New York. It is believed that their intention was to temporarily settle in a rural area of Antioquia, something that raised red flags for the authorities.
That is how, on Nov. 22, authorities raided a hotel in Yarumal, where they found 26 people: Nine adults and 17 minors. Among the minors were infants and teenagers from the United States, Guatemala, and Canada. Five of them also had an active INTERPOL “yellow notice,” meaning they had been reported missing or at risk of kidnapping or human trafficking.
After being found, the minors were immediately placed under state custody — under the care of ICBF — while their immigration status was reviewed and, in the case of the adults, the group’s background was examined. The alert against Lev Tahor came from several countries where the group had already been investigated or expelled in the past, due to allegations of child abuse, forced marriages, and exploitation.
Once the cases were reviewed, Migracion Colombia decided to order the expulsion of the nine adults — who boarded a flight to New York escorted by immigration officials. The minors traveled on the same plane and will be handed over in the United States to the appropriate child protection services, where authorities in that country will assess their situation.
“Migracion Colombia expelled nine members of Lev Tahor and is handing them over to U.S. authorities. The 26 people from this community, including the girls, boys, and adolescents, departed on a flight to New York along with two of our officers,” the Colombian agency posted in a message on its social media.
🚨#𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑰𝑨 | @MigracionCol expulsó a un 9 personas de Lev Tahor y los entrega a autoridades de Estados Unidos. Las 26 personas de esta comunidad, incluidas las niñas, niños y adolescentes, salieron en un vuelo hacia Nueva York, junto a dos de nuestros oficiales. pic.twitter.com/pwifGk3CKL
— Migración Colombia (@MigracionCol) December 1, 2025
A troubled international track record
Lev Tahor is not a new community on the radar of global authorities. Founded in Jerusalem in the 1980s, it has moved through numerous countries — including the United States, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, and most recently Colombia — always fleeing investigations into child abuse, forced marriages, and the coercive control of minors.
In December 2024, for example, authorities in Guatemala rescued more than 160 minors linked to this sect amid serious allegations of violence, sexual exploitation, and religious manipulation.
That turbulent past was a key factor in Colombia’s decision to intervene quickly, after receiving alerts from international agencies, and prevent the country from becoming yet another refuge for this itinerant group. It should be noted that organizations such as Lev Tahor do not have the support or recognition of Jewish organizations in Colombia.
After this operation in Colombia, it is clear that it is necessary to strengthen alert mechanisms, international cooperation, and migration control to prevent greater tragedies. However, experts on this type of sect point out that there are communities that reinvent themselves, change countries, and seek new destinations.
Monitoring and protecting those who are at risk — especially the most vulnerable — must remain active, even when everything seems to be going well.