The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested 79 Nigerian nationals in what officials described as a decisive phase of a renewed immigration enforcement campaign targeting individuals labelled as the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders.
The arrests form part of a broader nationwide operation led by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are tied to President Donald Trump’s renewed pledge to carry out mass deportations, beginning with undocumented immigrants accused or convicted of serious crimes.
According to DHS, the Nigerians arrested are facing a wide range of criminal allegations, including sexual assault, large-scale fraud, manslaughter, cocaine trafficking, kidnapping, and armed robbery. Of the 79 suspects, six are women, underscoring the breadth of the operation.
In an official statement, the department said it was acting in line with the president’s directive to prioritise removals of undocumented migrants considered a threat to public safety.
“We are fulfilling the President’s promise to the American people,” the DHS said. “These actions are starting with the worst of the worst — including the illegal aliens identified in our enforcement operations.”
Nigerians Among Global Deportation List
The arrests are part of a much larger enforcement dragnet involving over 1,000 convicted individuals from multiple countries. DHS data shows that alongside Nigerians, the list includes 53 Liberians, 28 Kenyans, 18 Ghanaians, six South Africans, and five Burkinabes, among others.
While Nigerian nationals account for a notable portion of those arrested, officials stressed that the operation is not country-specific, but based on criminal records and immigration status.
Door-to-Door Raids and Growing Fear
Sources familiar with the operations said ICE agents conducted door-to-door raids in several cities, often acting on intelligence gathered from prior convictions, court records, and immigration databases.
The intensified enforcement has reportedly triggered fear and uncertainty within immigrant communities, particularly among Nigerians. In recent days, there were reports that many Nigerian immigrants avoided public spaces, skipped work, or began making plans for quiet, voluntary departures to avoid arrest.
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Community advocates say the climate has pushed some migrants into hiding, regardless of whether they have criminal records.
Long-Standing Deportation Plans
The latest arrests revive earlier concerns raised by Nigerian authorities about looming deportations. In May 2025, former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, informed Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, that 201 Nigerians had been pencilled for deportation by US authorities.
That disclosure prompted diplomatic engagements between Abuja and Washington over deportation procedures, reintegration challenges, and consular access for affected citizens.
Between Law Enforcement and Diplomacy
Analysts say the latest crackdown highlights the hardening tone of US immigration policy, particularly under Trump’s renewed emphasis on border security and internal enforcement.
“This is not just an immigration issue; it’s also a diplomatic and humanitarian one,” said Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, a civil society leader. “While countries have the right to enforce their laws, transparency, due process, and coordination with home governments remain critical.”
For Nigeria, the arrests raise fresh questions about diaspora vulnerability, reintegration capacity, and the need for stronger legal and consular support for citizens abroad.
As deportation proceedings begin, attention is expected to shift to how many of those arrested will ultimately be removed, how quickly the process will unfold, and how Nigeria prepares to absorb returning nationals amid already strained social and economic conditions.