Trump's Deportation: US-Based Professor Shares How Nigerians in America “Now Hide, Avoid Quarrels”

• A US-based professor Nimi Wariboko said Nigerians in the United States have been forced to go into hiding over fear of being deported
• Wariboko urged Bola Tinubu's government to take action in favour of Nigerans abroad considering their significant contribution to the nation's economy
• Lawyer Abiola Falusi posited that Nigerians facing deportation are at risk of social stigma as well as vulnerability to exploitation.

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

A Professor of Social Ethics at Boston University, Nimi Wariboko, has said that the sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the United States has triggered palpable fear among Nigerians living in America.

Trump’s deportation crackdown forces Nigerians to go into hiding

The enforcement of immigration laws has intensified since American President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, 2025.

Legit.ng reported that Nigeria ranks third among African nations with the highest number of citizens scheduled for deportation, following closely behind Somalia, Ghana, and Senegal.

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Over the past few days, a large-scale crackdown by ICE officials has led to the arrest of thousands of undocumented immigrants across major US cities.

But the don, speaking virtually from the US on the Friday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, said many Nigerians living in the US, don't have legal documents.

“If you are a pastor, if you are a leader in those communities, you are worried for those people; you have concerns for them. Are they going to be deported?

“Some of them are hiding – there is that palpable fear that they could be raided. If you quarrel with your neighbours, they can call the immigration enforcement unit. There is that palpable fear. They are fearful, they are angry, they don’t know what is going to happen.”

$20bn diaspora inflow at risk?

Meanwhile, the United States is one of the top destinations for migrating Nigerian youths and the middle class in search of greener pastures.

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Speaking further, Wariboko said undocumented Nigerian immigrants in America are angry with their countrymen on Nigerian soil for not being compassionate.

According to the World Bank, remittance from Nigerians living abroad reached $20bn in 2023.

In light of the above, the professor argued that the Nigerian government should be interested in defending its citizens in the United States because any immigration policies that lead to deportation would affect the Nigerian economy as Nigerians overseas contribute a significant amount to the local economy.

He said:

“They (undocumented Nigerian immigrants) are saying at the end of the day, if this great replacement holds, they are going to be sent back home. Do you have jobs to absorb them?”

“If anybody in the world is coming up with policies that will affect the Nigerian economy, the government should defend Nigerians in that regard.”

Read more about Trump's order here:

• Trump: List of documents you need to stay legally in US as mass deportation begins
• Trump’s order: USAID’s suspension disrupts family planning in another Nigerian state, official speaks

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US deportees risk social stigma upon return to Nigeria - Lawyer

Lawyer Abiola Falusi has shed light on the challenges faced by Nigerian citizens who are facing deportation from the United States.

Falusi, in a chat with Legit.ng, highlighted several key concerns, including legal and immigration barriers, detention conditions, reintegration challenges in Nigeria, and risk of statelessness.

According to the attorney, many Nigerian detainees in the US face poor living conditions, overcrowding, and limited medical care.

He noted:

"Prolonged detention can cause severe psychological distress, especially for those separated from their families.”

Falusi also emphasized the reintegration challenges faced by deportees in Nigeria, including lack of support structures, social stigma, and risk of arbitrary detention.

As he put it:

"Many deportees return to Nigeria without financial resources, employment opportunities, or family support."

In terms of human rights concerns, Falusi cited the use of excessive force during deportation, health risks during deportation, risk of arbitrary detention in Nigeria, economic hardship and unemployment, and vulnerability to exploitation and crime.

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To mitigate these risks, Falusi advised Nigerian citizens facing deportation to engage immigration lawyers to help them seek redress through various channels, including challenging deportation orders, appealing to the Board of Immigration Appeals, seeking asylum, and adjusting their status to become legal permanent residents.

Full list of countries whose citizens Trump is deporting

Earlier, Legit.ng also reported that the US had begun a large-scale deportation operation affecting over 1.4 million noncitizens under President Trump's order.

The deportations, targeting individuals with final removal orders, span more than 150 countries, making this one of the most extensive removal efforts in U.S. history.

Source: Legit.ng