No fewer than 3,690 Nigerians residing in the United States are faced with deportation as President Donald Trump implements the crackdown on illegal immigrants.
In a document compiled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ,ICE, and reviewed by Punch correspondent on Tuesday, the agency disclosed that the data is categorized by nationality and the number of individuals facing deportation.
It also confirmed that, as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
The ICE’s primary role is to protect the U.S. from cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security. In line with this, last Thursday, the Trump administration launched its mass deportation operation, which led to hundreds of arrests and deportations, some by military aircraft.
This has sparked concerns among Nigerian and other African immigrants who may be the next targets of the U.S. government’s deportation efforts.
The fear has intensified since President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on illegal immigration, which he set in motion on his first day in office by signing a series of executive orders.
Among these measures were orders to halt birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and a declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, with increased military deployment and the promise to deport “criminal aliens.”
READ ALSO : US begins deportation of illegal immigrants
In a related development, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia recently relented in a diplomatic standoff with the U.S. by agreeing to allow military aircraft to fly deported immigrants back to Colombia.
This follows Petro’s initial decision to turn away two U.S. planes, which he criticized for inhumane treatment of deportees.
The dispute escalated when President Trump threatened Colombia with severe tariffs and sanctions, including a 25% tariff on all Colombian imports and travel bans on Colombian officials.
The two leaders eventually reached an agreement, with Colombia’s government assuring that deportation flights would proceed under dignified conditions.
The diplomatic clash has highlighted the contentious nature of deportation policies, with Trump’s administration showing its resolve to enforce stricter immigration measures, even at the cost of strained international relations.
Meanwhile, the deportation fear continues to haunt undocumented immigrants, including thousands of Nigerians, living in the U.S. under Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Reported by PUNCH
