Through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Nigerian government has declared that it is prepared to take in some 5,144 Nigerians who are in danger of being deported from the United States. President Donald Trump’s campaign against unauthorized immigration includes this development. According to Vanguard News, people with final orders of removal from the United States and non-US citizens of Nigerian descent in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are among the impacted individuals.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
According to data from ICE, 772 of the 1,454 Nigerians in custody were arrested and detained for criminal convictions or pending charges, while the rest were arrested for immigration violations such as visa overstays. The data also reveals that 417 Nigerians were removed as of November 2024, and 884 were removed between 2019 and 2024.
The Trump administration’s immigration policy has sparked controversy, with at least three countries – Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil – alleging that their nationals were deported in a degrading manner. Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the use of military planes to deport migrants, stating that Colombia would welcome home deported migrants on civilian planes instead.
Similarly, Brazil’s foreign ministry condemned the “degrading treatment” of Brazilians who were handcuffed on a commercial deportation flight. The plane was carrying 88 Brazilian passengers, 16 US security agents, and eight crew members.
In response to the planned deportations, the Nigerian government has set up an inter-agency committee comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser. This committee will handle the matter should Nigerians be deported from the US.
Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri, stated that the Federal Government is prepared to welcome the deportees home. A former Nigerian Ambassador to the US, Ambassador Joe Keshi, emphasized that improving the economy would reduce the “Japa syndrome” (a term referring to the desire of Nigerians to leave the country) and encourage people to stay in Nigeria.
President Trump’s immigration policy has been met with criticism, with many experts warning that mass deportations could harm the US economy and drive up inflation. The policy has also raised concerns about the treatment of migrants and the use of military aircraft for deportation flights.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
