By Ere-ebi Agedah Imisi
The United States Department of Homeland Security, DHS has announced plans to deport 110 Nigerians as part of a broader immigration enforcement operation targeting 355 nationals from West African countries.
According to the DHS, Nigeria has the second-highest number of individuals slated for removal under its West Africa Operations Watch, WOW initiative, behind Liberia, which has 94 nationals on the deportation list. Ghana accounts for 30 individuals, while Senegal has 19.
The department stated on Tuesday that it had published the names and photographs of all 355 individuals identified for deportation, noting that the information was made available through its official portal to enable affected families and relevant authorities to verify details by country of origin.
DHS explained that those listed were found to be in violation of U.S. immigration laws, including visa overstays, unlawful entry into the country, and failure to comply with residency requirements. The agency noted that the deportations form part of a coordinated enforcement operation carried out across several states in the United States.
The department said the publication of names and photographs is intended to promote transparency in the enforcement of immigration regulations.
The latest development follows an earlier update this year that identified 97 Nigerians for deportation. With the addition of new names in recent weeks, the number has risen to 110, making it the largest single group of Nigerians earmarked for removal from the United States in 2026.
Meanwhile, The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM has previously worked with state governments and non-governmental organisations to provide assistance to deportees upon arrival in Nigeria. Analysts, however, said the scale of the latest deportation exercise would require stronger collaboration among federal and state authorities, as well as community-based organisations, to address issues such as employment, accommodation and social acceptance.
However, DHS maintained that the WOW initiative is aimed at enforcing U.S. immigration laws and is not directed at any specific nationality. The agency noted that the deportation list also includes 15 Cameroonians, 14 Gambians, 14 Ivorians, 12 Mauritanians, 11 Cape Verdeans, nine Burkinabes, eight Nigeriens, six Guineans, six Togolese, five Malians, and one citizen each from Benin Republic and Guinea-Bissau.
The department urged affected individuals to comply with removal orders and advised families seeking additional information to use its official verification platform.
