News
Tension As 3,690 Nigerians Face Deportation In US
About 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are faced with deportation as Donald Trump begins a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country.
In a document compiled by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday, the agency revealed the data is broken down by nationality and number of people faced with deportation.
It also clarified that as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
In the document titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”, Mexico and El Salvador top the list of nations facing the most deportation, with 252,044 and 203,822, respectively.
The ICE is charged with the responsibility of protecting America from cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security.
On Thursday last week, hundreds of migrants were arrested, and others flew out of the country on military aircraft as Trump’s promised mass deportation operation got underway.
According to Punch report, Nigerians and other African illegal immigrants in the United States may be the next target for deportation by the American government.
The fear of deportation has gripped many Nigerians who are illegally staying in the US following Trump’s declaration of war against illegal immigration.
Trump, on his inauguration day as the 47th President of the US, signed a series of executive orders aimed at hardening immigration policies, including the stoppage of citizenship by birth for children of illegal immigrants.
Trump has signed orders to declare a national emergency at the Mexico-US southern border, stating the deployment of more troops to the area as he threatened to deport “criminal aliens.”
Recently, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has relented and will allow US military planes to fly deportees into the country after turning two transports back in response to what he called inhumane treatment.
The two leaders had engaged in a war of words on Sunday after Colombia’s move to block Trump’s use of military aircraft in deporting thousands of unauthorised immigrants.
But on Sunday night, the White House released a statement in which it said that because Petro had agreed to all of its terms, the tariffs and sanctions Trump had threatened would be “held in reserve.”
Other penalties, such as visa sanctions, will remain in effect until the first planeload of deportees has arrived in Colombia, the statement said.
“Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again,” it added.
Colombia’s foreign ministry released a statement soon afterwards that read, “We have overcome the impasse with the United States government.”
It said the government would accept all deportation flights and “guarantee dignified conditions” for those Colombians on board.
Petro began the day by announcing that he had turned back US military planes carrying deported immigrants. This set off a furious back and forth with Trump, who in turn announced a barrage of tariffs and sanctions targeting the country, which has long been a top US ally in Latin America.
Trump said on social media that the United States would immediately impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Colombian imports and would raise them to 50 per cent after a week. The Trump administration would also “fully impose” banking and financial sanctions on Colombia, apply a travel ban on Colombian government officials and their associates, and revoke their visas, the president said.
Petro hit back on social media. In one post, he announced retaliatory tariffs of 25 per cent on US imports to Colombia; in another, longer post, he said those tariffs would hit 50 per cent.
The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has replied to the Nigerian Bar Association regarding the reason for relocating its Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu State.
Ibas faulted the reason cited by the NBA, describing it as misleading and uncharitable.
The Sole Administrator stated this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, and sent to newsmen.
He said while the NBA reserves the right to choose a venue for its conference, the association had yet to address the issue of the refund of the hosting rights paid by the state government for the conference.
The statement partly reads, “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position”— didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.
“If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
It added, “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the Nigeria Bar Association’s announcement dated 10th April 2025, relocating its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
The statement partly reads, “While we respect the NBA’s right to choose its conference venues, we find it curious that the association—despite its “principled position”— didn’t address the refund of the N300 million already paid by the Rivers State Government for the hosting rights of the 2025 conference.
“If the NBA truly stands on principle, it should demonstrate the same integrity by promptly returning these funds rather than benefiting from a state it now publicly discredits.”
It added, “The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to the Nigeria Bar Association’s announcement dated 10th April 2025, relocating its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu.
By Francesca Hangeior
The Federal Government has unveiled the second phase of its contactless biometric passport application system across its four missions in United States, Mexico, Jamaica and Brazil.
The Nigeria Immigration Service NIS disclosed this in a tweet on its ‘X’ handle signed by Service Spokesman, ACI AS Akinlabi.
The statement reads; “ain continuation of the phased Roll-Out of the Contactless Biometric Passport Application System across Nigerian Missions abroad, the Nigeria Immigration Service under its
Comptroller General, Kemi Nanna Nandap wishes to inform the General public especially Nigerians in the Diaspora that it is implementing the next stage of the roll-out across the following countries.
“The Application System, which is currently available on Google Play Store (NIS Mobile), is designed to allow Nigerians to renew their passports without visiting any Passport Centre for Biometrics enrollment. The Apple Store version will be onboarded shortly and an enhanced version of the NIS Mobile App for both Android and iOS users will be deployed to further improve users’ experience and accessibility.
“With this roll-out, the Service further informs the General public that the Contactless Passport App is now available in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Jamaica, Brazil, Europe, and Asia. It is yet to be rolled out in Australia and Nigeria, a future date will be announced for both countries in due course.
“The Service remains committed to innovative and efficient Service Delivery to Nigerians anywhere in the world”.
By Francesca Hangeior
At least eight of the 1,800 candidates shortlisted for teaching positions under the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission have been disqualified after testing positive for banned substances.
This was disclosed in a statement on Monday by the TESCOM Press Secretary, Sam Onile, who quoted the Chairman of the Commission, Bello Abubakar.
According to the statement, the disqualified applicants tested positive for drugs, including benzodiazepine, tramadol, cotinine, marijuana, and amphetamine.
The tests were conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency with support from the state government.
Abubakar said the affected candidates would be replaced by the next best-performing applicants from their respective local government areas.
“A major implication of this development is that the affected individuals will be replaced by the candidates who are next to them in performance from their respective local government areas,” the statement said.
“The idea is to send an unmistakable message about the state government’s zero tolerance for drug abuse. We have a duty of care not to expose little children to drug abuse under any circumstances.”
The TESCOM chairman praised AbdulRazaq for insisting on a merit-based recruitment process, noting that the governor had again demonstrated fairness and commitment to quality education in the state.
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