U.S. names 124 Nigerians on deportation list

The United States has published an updated deportation list naming 124 Nigerians, deepening concerns over the scale of its renewed immigration crackdown and the growing number of Africans caught in the dragnet. The Department of Homeland Security said the individuals were placed on its “worst-of-the-worst” criminal register, though it did not disclose when they would be removed from the country.

The list, released on Wednesday, came with names and photographs of the affected Nigerians, but U.S. authorities stopped short of giving details of the offences attributed to them or setting a timeline for deportation. The agency said the move formed part of ongoing enforcement operations targeting non-citizens convicted of serious crimes.

In its statement, the Department of Homeland Security said immigration officers were acting under President Donald Trump’s directive to step up mass deportations, beginning with migrants deemed the most serious threats to public safety and national security. The department said its officers had been instructed to intensify operations nationwide against removable migrants with criminal records.

The development follows a series of tougher immigration measures introduced after Trump returned to office in January 2025. On his first day back, he signed executive orders declaring illegal immigration a national emergency and ordering federal agencies to accelerate border enforcement and removals.

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U.S. immigration data have shown that deportation efforts have remained strongest across Latin America, but enforcement has also widened to Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Nigeria has been drawn more directly into the policy shift in recent months, especially after Washington imposed partial visa restrictions on Nigerian citizens in June over concerns about identity management, information sharing, visa overstays and security screening.

The latest publication of names and photos is likely to heighten unease among Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, especially as the U.S. gives no indication that the crackdown will ease soon. For many affected families, the question is no longer whether the list will expand, but how far the deportation sweep will go next.