Colombia expels 9 members of Jewish sect Lev Tahor after rescue of 17 minors

Colombia on Monday expelled nine members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish group Lev Tahor after rescuing 17 children, immigration authorities announced.

The announcement on social media came just days after authorities said they had rescued 17 minors who were allegedly subjected to abuse within the group.

According to the country's immigration authority, the expelled members were transferred to US authorities and flown to New York along with 17 children and teenagers from the community.

The minors, who had entered the country legally with family members, were placed under the care of New York's Child Protective Services, the agency responsible for ensuring their safety and rights.

Colombian officials said the group entered the country in late October via the Cartagena and Medellin airports. A yellow notice issued on Nov. 13 prompted a coordinated operation involving the immigration authority, the Eastern Military GAULA and the Colombian Family Welfare Institute to locate and safeguard the minors.

Lev Tahor, which has been the subject of investigations in multiple countries, is frequently described by authorities and former members as a cultlike sect that enforces extreme interpretations of Jewish law and isolates its followers. Its practices — including reports of forced marriages, harsh living conditions and strict relocations — have drawn global scrutiny over the past decade.