1 week ago
30
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr. has announced that at least 201 Nigerians are in the immigration camps set to be deported home from the United States (U.S.) in line with President Donald Trump’s immigration policy.
Eighty-five of them have been cleared for immediate eviction from the country.
Richard Mills also noted that the first batch of deportees are those serving jail terms in U.S. prisons.
The envoy said the deportees would be taken to Lagos but did not indicate when.
He spoke during a meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at her office.
The U.S. President has been fulfilling his campaign promise to deport illegal immigrants.
He has deported citizens of countries such as Colombia, Mexico and India, among others as he aggressively pursues his policy of getting out undocumented immigrants.
According to a statement by Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s media aide Magnus Eze, the envoy said: “Those to be repatriated would be dropped in Lagos.
“There wouldn’t be room for whether it should be in Port Harcourt or Abuja.
“The first group will be convicted prisoners – those who committed crimes and are in U.S. prisons.
“Some of them are those who have clearly violated U.S. immigration laws.
“They appealed but were denied yet they are still in the U.S. They have committed immigration crime.”
The minister pleaded for dignified treatment for Nigerians to be deported.
This is in view of the fact that many of those convicts being deported from the U.S. are manacled – with handcuffs on their hands and legs.
Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu insisted that the U.S. government must follow the laid down conventions on the deportation of persons in repatriating immigrants.
The minister urged the U.S. to find a way of ameliorating the trauma of those to be deported, including allowing them ample opportunity to retrieve their assets in America.
Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu bemoaned the emotional and financial pains that many Nigerians in the U.S. were already experiencing since the Trump Administration announced the plans.
She stated that the effect was far-reaching even to the hinterlands of Nigeria where for instance, several families, including children relied on remittances from the U.S. for their survival and education.
Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu said: “With the new administration in the U.S., we want a situation where there will be commitments.
“If there will be repatriation, we want a dignified return.
“At the moment, we’re told that about 201 Nigerian nationals are in U.S. immigration camps and about 85 have been cleared for deportation.
“Will there be any way of ameliorating their pains?
“This has been of great concern to not just Nigerian nationals in the U.S. but family members in Nigeria who depend on them for survival, children whose school fees are paid for by these Diasporans.
“We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated?
“It will really be traumatic, especially for those who have not committed any violent crime”.
The U.S. envoy also spoke on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
“I think this (Trump) Administration will concentrate more on trade and commerce.
“This relationship is strong and we want it sustained,” he said.
Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern over the likely suspension of the Drop Box Visa System by the U.S. government.
The minister urged Washington DC to reconsider the suspension of the policy such that Nigerians who had been travelling to the US for genuine reasons would not have to suffer unduly in procuring U.S. visa.
English (US) ·