At least 5,144 Nigerians are at risk of arrest and deportation from the United States due to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
This number includes non-US citizens of Nigerian origin who are currently on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) non-detained docket with final orders of removal, as well as those already in ICE detention.
The figure comprises 3,690 Nigerians on the non-detained docket with final orders of removal as of November 2024, and 1,454 Nigerians currently in detention and scheduled for deportation to Nigeria.
Out of the detained Nigerians, 772 were arrested and detained for criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, while 417 Nigerians were arrested and removed as of November 2024, and 884 were removed between 2019 and 2024.
The Trump administration’s immigration policy aims to rid the United States of illegal immigrants. Nearly 3,000 “criminal aliens” have been arrested in the first few days of the operation.
While the initial focus was on illegal immigrants with known criminal records, there is growing concern that attention will soon shift to include other illegal immigrants, particularly those on the non-detained list with orders for removal.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has stated that the Federal Government has set up an inter-agency committee to handle the matter should there be mass deportation of Nigerians from the US.
The committee comprises the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the office of the National Security Adviser.
Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the impact of Trump’s immigration policy on undocumented immigrants, particularly those with strong family ties to the US.
The organization has documented cases of immigrants being deported without due process, highlighting the need for reform in US immigration law and policy.
