Washington, D.C. (Diplomat.so) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday said it has added 19 Nigerian nationals to its expanding deportation roster, raising the total number of Nigerians slated for removal to 113 amid what officials describe as an intensified effort to target "the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested" across the United States.
Newly published data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows the individuals added to the list were convicted in U.S. courts of sexual assault of a minor, large-scale fraud, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, and money laundering. DHS said they were arrested during coordinated operations led by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations units.
An ICE official, speaking on the record, said the individuals "pose significant public-safety risks based on their criminal histories and meet the criteria for priority removal.” The official added that deportations will proceed "once immigration procedures and travel document verifications are completed,” cautioning that timelines depend on cooperation with foreign authorities.
The Nigerian Embassy in Washington did not immediately offer comment on Tuesday, though Nigerian diplomats have previously stressed that Abuja "expects full adherence to due process” in cases involving its nationals facing repatriation.
The updated figures come as U.S. immigration authorities continue to intensify enforcement against criminal and undocumented migrants—a core component of current federal policy. ICE statistics indicate rising arrest numbers for individuals with criminal convictions, part of what analysts say is a broader shift toward post-conviction removals rather than wide-scale immigration sweeps.
Migration experts note that public updates on high-profile deportation cases often serve operational and diplomatic functions, shaping international coordination and reinforcing the administration’s messaging on immigration enforcement priorities.
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