US Releases Names, Photos Of 124 Nigerians Marked For Deportation
The United States Department of Homeland Security has published the names and photographs of 124 Nigerians slated for deportation after identifying them as convicted criminals under its immigration enforcement programme.
The updated list, released through the agency’s official platform, places the Nigerians on what the department described as its “worst-of-the-worst” register, although authorities have yet to announce when the deportations will begin.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the affected individuals were convicted of various criminal offences in the United States and are now facing removal proceedings as part of the country’s intensified immigration enforcement policy.
While the agency published the identities and photographs of those affected, it did not disclose the specific offences committed by each individual or provide a timeline for their deportation.
The publication is part of ongoing efforts by U.S. immigration authorities to identify foreign nationals with criminal convictions who are subject to removal from the country under federal immigration laws.
The release of the list has drawn attention in Nigeria because of the number of citizens affected, with observers awaiting further information on when the deportations will commence and whether Nigerian authorities will be formally notified before the removals take place.
Officials have not indicated whether additional names will be added to the register or whether all 124 Nigerians will be deported at the same time.
The Department of Homeland Security said the exercise forms part of its broader campaign to enforce immigration laws against foreign nationals convicted of crimes in the United States, adding that further updates would be provided as the deportation process progresses.