Nigerian deportations from the US hit 2,330 between 2014 and 2025, with ICE warning removals may rise under renewed immigration crackdowns

Nigerian deportations have reached at least 2,330 between 2014 and early 2025, according to fresh data from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Also read: Trump outlines plans for mass deportations and immigration reforms

A breakdown of the agency’s annual reports showed that while 2,310 Nigerians were removed between 2014 and 2024, an additional 20 have already been deported in 2025.

ICE also revealed that 3,690 Nigerians remain under watch on its non-detained docket.

The year-by-year data show removals peaked in 2018 under President Donald Trump, when 369 Nigerians were deported.

That figure dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 78 deportations in 2021 and 49 in 2022. Numbers rebounded to 152 in 2023 before easing to 138 in 2024.

Across Africa, Nigeria recorded the highest deportations over the 11-year period, ahead of Somalia (1,539), Ghana (1,380) and Senegal (1,122). Globally, Mexico accounted for the largest removals, with more than 900,000 cases.

ICE attributed the spike in removals to the Electronic Nationality Verification programme, which allows consular officers to process identity checks electronically, cutting approval times from weeks to days.

Nigerian deportations surged during Trump’s first term, with 1,166 removals between 2017 and 2020. But under President Joe Biden, ICE prioritised criminals and recent entrants, causing removals to plummet.

A 2024 Supreme Court ruling later restored those guidelines.

The Nigerian government has urged the US to ensure deportations are humane. In February 2025, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, pressed US Ambassador Richard Mills Jr. on whether deportees would have time to settle assets before removal.

Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it has set up an inter-agency committee with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other bodies to support returnees.

ICE defines “removal” as the compulsory movement of a non-citizen following a final order of removal, often carried out via dedicated charter flights to West Africa.

Grounds include immigration violations, certain criminal convictions, and security concerns.