Washington: The U.S. has announced the deportation of 97 Nigerians due to alleged immigration offences, increasing the number from an initial list of 79 individuals to include an additional 18. This information was disclosed in a statement on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the arrests are part of a coordinated crackdown conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across multiple U.S. states. The operation specifically targets immigrants convicted of serious crimes under the DHS’s ‘worst-of-the-worst’ criminal immigrants program.
The DHS explained that the newly listed individuals are allegedly involved in offences such as wire fraud, mail fraud, and identity theft, which pose significant financial and security threats. The statement emphasized the focus on deporting what it terms the “worst of the worst” criminal aliens, fulfilling a directive under Secretary Noem’s leadership and President Trump’s administration.
The 18 Nigerians recently added to the deportation list include individuals such as Oluwaseyanu Afolabi, Olugbeminiyi Aderibigbe, and Benjamin Ifebajo, among others. The DHS has indicated that the deportation process will commence immediately, adhering to U.S. immigration laws.