US Plans to Deport 79 Nigerians, 18 Ghanaians on Criminal Watchlist
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to deport 79 Nigerians whose names appear on what authorities describe as the country’s “worst of the worst” criminal list. Also listed are 18 Ghanaians and citizens of other African countries classified as criminal illegal immigrants.
According to a statement published on the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website on Monday, February 2, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more than 1,000 individuals from various countries over the weekend. The arrests were linked to serious crimes including sexual assault of elderly or disabled persons, automobile homicide, robbery, fraud, and trafficking of fentanyl.
DHS said the arrests are part of the federal government’s renewed crackdown on criminal immigrants. The agency noted that under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS and ICE are implementing President Trump’s campaign promise to begin mass deportations, starting with individuals convicted of the most serious offences.
ICE has carried out thousands of arrests since President Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. Many of these operations took place in public areas and have sparked protests from groups opposing the agency’s actions.
Mass deportation remains a key pillar of the Trump administration’s immigration policy, with ICE leading enforcement efforts. In January, DHS reported that more than 670,000 undocumented immigrants — including individuals convicted of murder, sexual offences, gang-related crimes, and terrorism — had been removed from the United States, while about two million others voluntarily left the country.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to removing dangerous undocumented immigrants, adding that about 70 per cent of ICE arrests involve individuals who have already been convicted or charged with crimes in the US. DHS stated that it will continue its operations until American communities are free from crimes linked to undocumented immigrants.
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