The United States government has cleared 85 Nigerians marked for deportation as foreign nationals staying in the country illegally continue to face stringent immigration policies.
This move, announced by US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills Jr, is part of the US immigration policy under US President Donald Trump.
The US ambassador in his address during a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, revealed that the US government has concluded plans to repatriate the deportees directly to Lagos, Nigeria.
According to him, the first batch of deportees includes convicted prisoners and immigration offenders.
This comes after Trump signed executive orders to deport individuals living in the US without legal status or with temporary permissions set to expire.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data reveals that as of late November 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on the agency’s non-detained docket with final removal orders. Among these are 3,690 Nigerians said to be on deportation list, making Nigeria the second-most affected African country after Somalia, with Ghana and Senegal also among the nations impacted.
Following the development, Nigerians in the US have expressed fears about returning to their home country, citing rampant insecurity, economic hardship, and poor leadership as reasons for their reluctance.
Many have restricted their movements within the US, particularly in Republican-controlled states where deportation efforts are reportedly more aggressive, to avoid detection by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operatives.
However, Mills has announced that the US will repatriate the first group of Nigerians living in the country illegally.
He explained: “The first group to be repatriated will consist of convicted prisoners—those who have committed crimes and are currently serving sentences in U.S. prisons. Others include individuals who have violated U.S. immigration laws, appealed their cases but were denied, and remained in the country unlawfully.”
In her response, Odumegwu-Ojukwu passionately urged the United States government to uphold international conventions regarding deportation.
She emphasized the importance of ensuring a respectful and dignified process for Nigerians who are affected by such actions, highlighting the need for compassion and adherence to established humanitarian standards.
“With the new U.S. administration, we hope to see a commitment to humane repatriation. There are currently about 201 Nigerians in U.S. immigration camps, with 85 already cleared for deportation.
“These individuals have families who depend on them, and their sudden return will create financial and emotional strain,” she said.
