A significant number of Nigerians—5,144 in total—may be affected in the initial phase of ongoing deportation efforts in the United States as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
This figure includes Nigerian nationals who are on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) non-detained docket, with final removal orders, as well as those already in ICE detention.
Attempts to reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment were unsuccessful, but the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) informed Vanguard that the Federal Government had already formed an inter-agency committee to address any large-scale deportation of Nigerians by the Trump administration.
According to data from ICE, 1,445,549 non-US citizens from various countries are currently on the non-detained docket with final removal orders as of November 2024, and 3,690 of them are Nigerians.
Additionally, 1,454 Nigerians are currently in detention and scheduled for deportation to Nigeria.
Of the 1,454 Nigerians in custody, 772 were arrested for criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, while the others were detained for immigration violations such as visa overstays.
The data further reveals that 417 Nigerians were deported as of November 2024, and 884 were removed between 2019 and 2024.
These revelations come as the Trump administration continues implementing its immigration policy aimed at removing illegal immigrants from the United States.
In the first days of this operation, nearly 3,000 “criminal aliens” were arrested.
Though the initial focus is on individuals with criminal records, there is concern that this may expand to include other undocumented immigrants, particularly those on the non-detained docket.
The “non-detained docket” refers to individuals residing in the U.S. who are considered targets for potential deportation but are not currently in ICE custody.
While ICE holds the authority to deport individuals on this list, this can happen with or without a court order, under expedited removal procedures.
A final order of removal is typically issued to individuals who have violated immigration laws, have criminal convictions, or have expired immigration statuses.
However, ICE has explained that there are instances where removals cannot be executed, often due to factors such as the individual pursuing relief like asylum or protection under international treaties.
Despite these challenges, ICE has emphasized its commitment to swiftly deporting individuals subject to final removal orders, although the cooperation of foreign governments in accepting deported individuals can delay the process.
Meanwhile, President Trump has directed ICE and ERO to increase arrests and removals, with daily deportations expected to range between 1,200 and 1,500.
Commenting on these efforts, ICE Deputy Director Patrick J. Lechleitner stated that the agency remains committed to transparency and will continue to assess how best to communicate data that informs their law enforcement efforts.
The U.S. Department of Justice and various law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals and DEA, have been empowered to investigate and apprehend illegal immigrants, helping fulfill Trump’s pledge to carry out large-scale deportations.
Regarding potential mass deportations of Nigerians, NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs, Abdurahman Balogun, said the agency was not aware of specific deportation actions involving Nigerians.
However, he confirmed that the Nigerian government had set up an inter-agency committee, including NiDCOM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, to manage the situation if mass deportations from the U.S. were to occur.
