Thousands of Nigerians residing illegally in the United States are living in fear and limiting their movements as the administration of President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to deport undocumented immigrants.
A newly released document from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations indicates that approximately 3,690 Nigerians are currently facing deportation.
The document, titled “Non-citizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship,” also reveals that Mexico and El Salvador have the highest numbers of non-citizens with final removal orders, with 252,044 and 203,822 cases, respectively.
According to the document, as of November 24, 2024, a total of 1,445,549 non-citizens were on ICE’s non-detained docket awaiting deportation. The crackdown follows President Trump’s renewed push for stricter immigration enforcement since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The U.S. Justice Department has also warned that local and state authorities failing to comply with federal immigration policies could face legal consequences.
As part of the sweeping deportation effort, 538 undocumented immigrants were expelled from the U.S. on January 23. Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed via her official X account that the country was witnessing the largest deportation operation in history.
A Nigerian living in Florida, who requested anonymity, described the heightened anxiety among undocumented African immigrants, particularly Nigerians.
“We have stopped going out, no more work and church. The situation is terrible as we live in fear. In spite of that, we believe the situation is better than the hardship and insecurity in Nigeria,” he said in an interview on Friday.
There are concerns that African migrants could soon become a primary focus of the administration’s immigration crackdown, prompting many to take extra precautions to avoid encounters with ICE agents.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has acknowledged that 201 of its citizens are currently in U.S. custody awaiting deportation. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it has not yet received official communication regarding the timing of their removal.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, acting spokesperson for the ministry, emphasized that the deportation process must adhere to established diplomatic protocols.
“The total number of 201 Nigerians is currently in their custody for deportation, but the date and time for deportation have not been communicated. And there is no way they will be deported to Nigeria without communication with the embassy in Washington, DC,” he said.
The situation remains uncertain as Nigerian immigrants brace for potential mass deportations in the coming weeks.
