Trump Administration Sparks Uncertainty as 3,690 US-based Nigerians Face Deportation

The Trump administration’s policies have led to uncertainty for 3,690 Nigerians living in the US, as they face possible deportation under new immigration guidelines.

Nigerian immigrants without legal status in the United States have resorted to hiding and limiting their movements to avoid arrest and deportation by the administration led by President Donald Trump.

This information comes from a document released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, indicating that approximately 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are facing deportation.

The document titled “Non-citizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship” reveals that Mexico and El Salvador lead in the number of deportations, with figures standing at 252,044 and 203,822 respectively.

According to the document, by November 24, 2024, there were 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.

The development occurs as the Trump administration implements its policies against illegal immigration following his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

As part of the continuation of Trump’s strict approach to illegal immigration, the US Justice Department additionally warned that it would take legal action against local and state authorities who did not adhere to immigration directives.

As a result, 538 undocumented immigrants were deported from the United States on January 23.

Nonetheless, Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary, revealed on her official X account that the largest deportation operation in history was currently in progress.

In response, a Nigerian residing in Florida, who requested to remain anonymous, mentioned that since Trump came into the spotlight, numerous undocumented immigrants have been living in fear and choosing to leave.

He believes that African undocumented immigrants might be the next target in Trump’s crackdown.

He observed that many illegal immigrants of African descent, particularly Nigerians, have ceased working out of fear to avoid arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

“We’ve stopped going out—no work or church. The situation is dire, and we’re living in fear,” he said during an interview on Friday. “Despite that, we believe it’s still better than the hardship and insecurity back in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the federal government of Nigeria has announced that 201 Nigerians are currently being held by US authorities and are set to be deported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Federal Government had not been informed about the date and time of their deportation.

The ministry’s acting spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, indicated that the standard diplomatic procedure for deporting Nigerians involves formally notifying the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC of such intentions.

A total of 201 Nigerians are presently in custody awaiting deportation, although the specific date and time for this has not yet been announced.

“And they cannot be deported to Nigeria without first communicating with the embassy in Washington, DC,” the official stated.