201 Nigerians face deportation as U.S. enforces immigration order

The United States government has announced plans to deport at least 201 Nigerians as part of its immigration enforcement policies.

According to U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills Jr., 85 individuals have already been cleared for immediate deportation.

The deportees, who will be repatriated to Lagos, include convicted criminals currently serving jail terms in the U.S. and individuals who have violated immigration laws.

Ambassador Mills stated that those facing deportation had exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the country.

“The first group will be convicted prisoners – those who committed crimes and are in U.S. prisons. Some of them have clearly violated U.S. immigration laws. They appealed but were denied yet they are still in the U.S,” Mills said.

The deportation exercise follows the implementation of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

The U.S. has also deported citizens of other nations, including Colombia, Mexico, and India.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged the U.S. government to ensure that the deportees are treated with dignity.

She raised concerns over reports of inhumane treatment, including the use of handcuffs and leg irons on non-violent individuals.

“We appeal that the U.S. government treats them humanely,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.

She also called for sufficient time for deportees to settle their affairs and retrieve their assets before repatriation.

In a separate development, the minister voiced concerns over the future of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its role in humanitarian aid.

“Many NGOs are worried and waiting for clarification,” she said, urging that aid efforts in Nigeria and Africa not be abandoned.