Nigerian Illegal Immigrants in U.S. Go Into Hiding Amid Trump’s Deportation Crackdown
Nigerians living illegally in the United States are now restricting their movements to avoid arrest and deportation following the renewed crackdown on undocumented immigrants by the Donald Trump administration.
A recent document from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations agency reveals that approximately 3,690 Nigerians are currently residing in the U.S. without legal status and face deportation.
The document, titled “Non-Citizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship,” highlights that Mexico and El Salvador have the highest number of deportations, with 252,044 and 203,822 cases, respectively. In total, as of November 24, 2024, about 1,445,549 non-citizens had final removal orders on ICE’s non-detained docket.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Begins
Since his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has wasted no time in enforcing his strict immigration policies. Just three days into his administration, 538 illegal immigrants were deported from the United States.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice has threatened legal action against local and state authorities that fail to comply with federal immigration directives. The administration’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced on social media platform X that the largest deportation operation in U.S. history was underway.
Fear Grips Nigerian Illegal Immigrants
The heightened immigration crackdown has forced many undocumented Nigerians and other African immigrants to adopt extreme caution.
A Nigerian living in Florida, who spoke with Punch, described how fear of deportation had disrupted his daily life.
“Ever since Trump came to power and acted on his threat of deportation, some of us have stopped going to work because ICE officers can raid workplaces at any time,” he said.
He also revealed that he no longer attends social gatherings, including church services, to minimize the risk of being arrested.
“I don’t go to church anymore because it is possible to be arrested there. For now, the only safe place is your house—stay indoors.”
In Tampa, where he works in a factory alongside many other Nigerians and Africans, several colleagues have also stopped working out of fear. Despite the uncertainty, he remains hopeful that legal battles against Trump’s immigration policies will slow down the deportation exercise.
“The fear of Trump is the beginning of wisdom now,” he quipped. “We survived Obama’s deportation actions; we will survive this one as well.”
Struggles to Obtain Legal Residency
For many undocumented Nigerians, attempts to regularize their immigration status have been unsuccessful.
The Florida-based Nigerian immigrant, who arrived in the U.S. in 2013, said he had spent nearly $30,000 trying to secure valid residency papers, including through marriage fraud, but without success.
“I was scammed through marriage and other means. At a point, I wanted to file for asylum, but I was advised against it because I had already spent over three years without valid papers. I decided to take under-the-table jobs instead.”
A Nigerian illegal immigrant in Columbus, Ohio, also recounted his ordeal. He initially stopped going to work during Trump’s first week in office out of fear but later resumed work cautiously.
“I cannot assume that Nigerians are not their target and expose myself to arrest. The best self-defense is to stay out of trouble, and the best way to avoid being deported is to stay out of sight of ICE officers.”
Despite the hardship, he insists that returning to Nigeria is not an option, citing economic difficulties and insecurity.
“Going back to Nigeria is not an option—not when millions of Nigerians are trying to japa because of hardship and insecurity. My difficult living conditions here are still better than what is considered ‘comfortable’ in Nigeria. However, we hope that this threat will subside in the next few months.”
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Responds
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that 201 Nigerians are currently in the custody of U.S. immigration authorities awaiting deportation.
The ministry’s acting spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stated that diplomatic protocols require U.S. authorities to notify the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., before deporting any Nigerian citizens.
“The total number of 201 Nigerians is currently in their custody for deportation, but the date and time for deportation have not been communicated. And there is no way they will be deported to Nigeria without communication with the embassy in Washington, D.C.,” Ebienfa said.
As Trump’s administration escalates immigration enforcement, undocumented Nigerians in the U.S. continue to live in fear, uncertain about their future in the country.