By Seyi Odewole
The United States government has placed no fewer than 110 Nigerians on its latest deportation list as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies immigration enforcement operations targeting West African nationals.
Figures released by the US Department of Homeland Security showed that Nigeria recorded the highest number of affected persons among the 355 West Africans slated for removal under the ongoing immigration crackdown.
Liberia followed with 94 nationals marked for deportation, while Ghana and Senegal accounted for 30 and 19 persons respectively.
Other countries affected by the operation include Cameroon, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, Togo, Mali, Benin Republic and Guinea-Bissau.
The latest removals are being coordinated under the expanded West Africa Operations Watch (WOW), an enforcement programme designed to track, detain and deport foreign nationals found to have violated US immigration regulations.
Although American authorities did not disclose the specific offences linked to those affected in the latest operation, previous deportation exercises under the initiative targeted persons convicted of crimes ranging from internet fraud and money laundering to drug trafficking and violent offences.
Officials familiar with the programme said the renewed operation is part of Washington’s broader strategy to combat visa overstays, identity fraud and illegal migration.
“The operation is aimed at enforcing compliance with U.S. immigration laws and addressing criminal violations linked to undocumented migrants,” an official familiar with the programme disclosed.
Another immigration source said the Trump administration had directed agencies to accelerate deportation procedures as part of stricter border enforcement measures.
“The policy focus now is zero tolerance for immigration violations and fraudulent documentation,” the source added.
The development comes amid renewed tightening of immigration rules in the United States, with President Trump pushing aggressive border control measures and expanded deportation operations ahead of the country’s evolving immigration reforms.
The latest action is expected to trigger fresh concerns among Nigerian communities abroad, especially as deportation operations continue to widen across several African countries.
