Nigerian Govt. Set To Receive Migrants Deported From U.S. By Trump Administration, Says NiDCOM
The Federal Government of Nigeria is ready to support and welcome Nigerians deported from the United States, according to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
Abdul-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media and Corporate Affairs at NiDCOM, confirmed the government’s preparedness during a statement on Tuesday evening.
Balogun explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the return of deported nationals, ensuring their safe reintegration.
According to reports, the Federal Government has established an inter-agency committee to manage the process, facilitating necessary arrangements for Nigerians who may face deportation.
Balogun said, “The Federal Government has formed an interagency committee made up of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in preparation for any potential mass deportation of Nigerians from the US.”
He added that the commission has not received any information regarding the processing of Nigerians in the US for deportation.
Information pieced together indicates that nearly 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are facing deportation as President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration, according to fresh data released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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A document compiled by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) revealed that, as of November 24, 2024, a total of 1,445,549 non-citizens are on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
Among them, 3,690 are Nigerians, while an additional 1,454 are currently in ICE detention and awaiting deportation.
The report, titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship,” showed that Mexico and El Salvador top the list, with 252,044 and 203,822 individuals facing deportation, respectively.
According to ICE data, 772 of the 1,454 detained Nigerians were arrested for criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, while the remainder were detained for immigration violations, such as visa overstays.
Additionally, 417 Nigerians have been removed from the U.S. in 2024, while 884 were deported between 2019 and 2024.
The mass deportation effort aligns with President Trump’s renewed immigration enforcement policies aimed at removing undocumented migrants.
ICE has already arrested nearly 3,000 individuals classified as “criminal aliens” within the first days of the operation.
While initial arrests targeted undocumented individuals with criminal records, concerns are growing that authorities may soon shift focus to non-detained immigrants with pending removal orders.
A “non-detained docket” refers to individuals ICE considers removable but who are not held in custody.
However, those with final orders of removal could still be deported at any time, either through formal proceedings or expedited removal.
