By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja
At least 5,144 Nigerians may be impacted in the initial phase of the US government’s intensified deportation campaign targeting undocumented immigrants.
Reports indicate that several Nigerians are quietly returning home or abandoning work, highlighting the widespread concern within the community.
The figure includes non-US citizens of Nigeria origin in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and Enforcement and Removal Operations, ERO, non-detained docket with final orders of removal from the US and those already in ICE detention.
Attempts to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment on the matter were unsuccessful.
However, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said the Federal Government has established an inter-agency committee to address the situation in the event of a mass deportation of Nigerians by the Trump administration.
Data released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showed that as of November 2024, a total of 1,445,549 non-U.S. citizens from various countries were on the non-detained docket with final orders of removal, including 3,690 Nigerians.
The agency also reported that 1,454 Nigerians are currently in detention and scheduled for deportation. Of those in custody, 772 were arrested for criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, while the remainder faced other immigration violations, such as visa overstays.
ICE records further revealed that 417 Nigerians had been removed as of November 2024, with an additional 884 deported between 2019 and 2024. The disclosure comes as the newly inaugurated Trump administration intensifies its immigration policy aimed at removing undocumented immigrants from the United States.
In the early days of the operation, nearly 3,000 “criminal aliens” were arrested. While initial efforts targeted immigrants with criminal records, concerns are growing that enforcement may soon expand to include those on the non-detained list awaiting removal.
A “non-detained docket” refers to a list maintained by ICE that includes individuals they believe are removable non-citizens currently residing in the United States but are not held in ICE detention.
Essentially, they are people that are not currently in ICE custody but are still considered targets for potential deportation action.
Usually, ICE, with the power of final order of removal from an immigration court, will go ahead to deport a person on the non-detained docket, even though a person may be deported without a court order under the process of expedited removal.
A final order of removal is usually issued against an immigrant who has violated immigration laws, has a criminal conviction or possesses an expired immigration status.
ICE said in the document that it is unable to provide a list of case-specific reasons it is unable to remove certain non-citizens on the non-detained docket with final orders.
ICE explained that there are several factors that can delay or prevent the removal of non-citizens. Under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, the agency may deport individuals who are subject to final removal orders issued by an immigration judge or other lawful processes, including those processed under expedited removal who have either not claimed a fear of return or received a negative credible fear determination upheld by an immigration judge.
“This does not mean that every person seeking to remain in the United States will be successful,” ICE said.
Non-citizens may apply for forms of relief or protection from removal, such as asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If granted, such relief prevents ICE from carrying out the deportation.
ICE added that it seeks to remove undocumented non-citizens with final removal orders in a timely manner. However, the U.S. government expects every country to accept the return of its citizens and nationals who are ineligible to remain in the United States.
A lack of cooperation from foreign governments can delay or, in many cases, halt the removal process.
Ealier, President Trump has directed ICE and its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit to increase arrest and deportation operations to between 1,200 and 1,500 individuals daily.
Commenting on the effort, ICE Deputy Director and senior official performing the duties of the director, Patrick J. Lechleitner, said: “By publicly releasing this enforcement data, ICE is demonstrating its commitment to transparency.
"We will continue to evaluate and improve how the agency communicates measurable data to inform how our officers and special agents carry out their law enforcement missions in line with departmental priorities.”
Following a related directive to the Department of Justice (DOJ), law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been authorized to investigate and apprehend undocumented immigrants.
Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman said: “Today’s action empowers DOJ law enforcement officials to identify and apprehend aliens who have entered the country illegally. Mobilizing these officials will help fulfill President Trump’s promise to the American people to conduct mass deportations.
For decades, efforts to locate and apprehend illegal aliens have been under-resourced; this is a major step toward addressing that issue.”
Reacting to the development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it was not aware of any Nigerians in the United States currently being processed for deportation.
Abdurahman Balogun, the commission’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs, explained that while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversees such matters as part of its consular responsibilities, the Federal Government has already established an inter-agency committee to respond in the event of mass deportations.
“The Federal Government has set up an inter-agency committee, which includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), to coordinate actions should there be mass deportation of Nigerians from the United States,” Balogun stated.
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