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ABOUT 79 NIGERIANS FACE DEPORTATION IN WORST-OF-THE-WORST DRIVE FROM THE U.S. DHS
4 days ago
U.S. officials stressed that cooperation with receiving countries, including Nigeria, is critical to executing removals. While Nigeria has historically accepted deportees from the U.S., large-scale deportations require extensive diplomatic coordination and travel documentation.
Nigerians Face Deportation in the US
Washington, D.C. – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to deport at least 79 Nigerian nationals convicted of serious crimes. This places them on its so-called worst-of-the-worst criminal list amid a heightened immigration enforcement push.
The individuals, whose names were made public on the DHS website on Monday, were convicted of offences ranging from fraud and drug trafficking to assault, manslaughter, and armed robbery. U.S. Authorities described the arrests as part of a broader nationwide crackdown targeting criminal immigrants.
According to DHS, the Nigerians were apprehended through coordinated operations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has expanded enforcement actions under the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
In a statement, the department said the operation underscores a renewed focus on removing non-citizens with criminal convictions from the United States. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the statement read.
“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations, starting with the worst of the worst.”
DHS has not provided a specific timeline for the deportations or confirmed whether the individuals will be returned directly to Nigeria via chartered flights. The department noted that some may still be serving sentences or undergoing immigration proceedings before removal.
The announcement comes amid growing concern within immigrant communities, as enforcement actions intensify nationwide. Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press indicate ICE has increased arrests of undocumented immigrants with criminal records, while also expanding detention capacity and deportation logistics.
Immigration lawyers told Reuters that the renewed focus on deportations has accelerated case processing for individuals flagged by ICE as high-priority removals.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized immigration enforcement as a key pillar of his domestic policy, asserting that removing criminal non-citizens enhances public safety. DHS data cited by the BBC shows deportations of convicted immigrants often rise during periods of expanded ICE funding and enforcement directives.
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