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The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced plans to deport at least 79 Nigerian nationals convicted of serious crimes, placing them on what the agency describes as its “worst-of-the-worst” criminal list amid an intensified immigration enforcement drive.
The individuals, whose names were published on the DHS website on Monday, were convicted of offenses ranging from fraud and drug trafficking to assault, manslaughter, and armed robbery. According to U.S. authorities, the arrests were part of a broader crackdown targeting criminal immigrants across the country.
DHS said the Nigerians were apprehended through coordinated operations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has expanded enforcement actions under the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
In an accompanying statement, the department said the effort reflects a renewed focus on removing non-citizens with criminal convictions from the United States. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the statement said.
“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations, starting with the worst of the worst.”
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DHS did not immediately specify the timeline for the deportations or whether the individuals would be returned directly to Nigeria in coordinated charter flights.
DHS noted that some individuals may still be serving sentences or undergoing immigration proceedings before removal.
The announcement comes amid growing anxiety within immigrant communities as enforcement actions increase nationwide. According to Reuters and the Associated Press, ICE has stepped up arrests of undocumented immigrants with criminal records, while also expanding detention capacity and deportation logistics.
Earlier this month, Saturday PUNCH reported that some Nigerians living in the United States had gone into hiding, while others quietly returned home, fearing arrest under the intensified deportation campaign.
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Meanwhile, immigration lawyers told Reuters that the renewed focus on deportations has led to faster case processing for individuals already flagged by ICE as high-priority removals.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized immigration enforcement as a cornerstone of his administration’s domestic policy, arguing that removing criminal non-citizens improves public safety. DHS data cited by the BBC shows deportations of convicted immigrants typically rise during periods of expanded ICE funding and enforcement directives.
U.S. officials say cooperation with receiving countries, including Nigeria, is critical to executing removals. While Nigeria has historically accepted deportees from the United States, large-scale removals often require diplomatic coordination and travel documentation.
