A total of 3,690 Nigerians are at risk of deportation from the United States as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to target illegal immigrants.
The information lists non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders, according a document our reporter got on Tuesday that was put together by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The report reveals that, as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 individuals listed for deportation, broken down by nationality. Mexico and El Salvador top the list, with 252,044 and 203,822 individuals, respectively, facing removal from the U.S.
ICE, which is responsible for safeguarding the country from cross-border crime and illegal immigration, has intensified its operations under President Donald Trump’s directive.
On Thursday last week, hundreds of migrants were arrested, while others were deported via military aircraft, marking the commencement of Trump’s mass deportation operation.
Reports indicate that Nigerians and other African migrants in the U.S. may be next in line for deportation as the American government tightens immigration policies. Fear has gripped many undocumented Nigerians, particularly following Trump’s executive orders aimed at halting birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants.
In a further escalation, the U.S. president declared a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico, authorizing the deployment of additional military personnel to enforce border security and expel “criminal aliens.”
Meanwhile, a diplomatic row erupted between the U.S. and Colombia after President Gustavo Petro initially blocked U.S. military planes carrying deported Colombian nationals. The move led to a sharp exchange between the two leaders, with Trump threatening trade sanctions and visa restrictions on Colombia.
On Sunday, however, Petro reversed his stance, allowing U.S. deportation flights to resume. In a statement, the Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had resolved the dispute with the U.S. government and pledged to guarantee “dignified conditions” for deported nationals.
The White House responded by stating that because Petro had agreed to all terms, tariffs and sanctions initially threatened by Trump would be “held in reserve”, while visa restrictions would remain in place until the first deportation flight arrived in Colombia.
Trump’s announcement of a 25% duty on all Colombian imports, with promises to raise it to 50% within a week, heightened the diplomatic tension between Washington and Bogotá. Colombia was also subject to banking and financial restrictions from the Trump administration, which included denying visas to government officials and their connections.
