International

Deportation Fears Grow: How Nigeria’s Economy Could Suffer from U.S. Crackdown

Published

1 month ago

Feb 8, 2025.

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Wariboko also pointed out that many Nigerians in the U.S. feel let down by people back home,

A professor of social ethics at Boston University, Nimi Wariboko, has said that many Nigerians in the United States are living in fear because of President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies.

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Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Wariboko explained that many Nigerians without legal documents are worried about being deported.

“If you are a pastor or a community leader, you are concerned for these people,” he said.

“Some are even hiding because they are afraid of immigration raids. If they have a dispute with a neighbor, the neighbor might report them to immigration authorities.”

Trump, who started his second term as U.S. President on January 20, 2025, has promised to deport many undocumented immigrants. Since then, immigration officers have been conducting mass raids at homes, schools, workplaces, and shopping centers, sending undocumented people back to countries like India and Guatemala.

Some people support Trump’s actions, while others strongly oppose them.

Wariboko also pointed out that many Nigerians in the U.S. feel let down by people back home, saying, “If we are sent back, are there jobs for us in Nigeria?”

Even those who have legal documents or U.S. citizenship may be affected if Trump changes the law on birthright citizenship.

Wariboko urged the Nigerian government to protect its citizens in the U.S. because deportations could hurt Nigeria’s economy. Nigerians abroad send a lot of money home—about $20 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank.

He added, “Even if some Nigerians don’t care about deportees, they should at least care about the billions of dollars these people send home every year. Many Nigerian families rely on money from relatives abroad to survive.”

Trump’s latest immigration crackdown is similar to what he did during his first term. In 2020, his government restricted Nigerians from entering the U.S. because Nigeria failed to meet certain security and identity verification requirements.

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There are about 376,000 Nigerian immigrants in the U.S., making Nigeria the largest source of African immigrants in the country. The U.S. remains a top destination for Nigerian youth and middle-class professionals looking for better opportunities.