Findings published on the website of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday have revealed that a number of Nigerians are among foreign nationals convicted of various serious offences and targeted in a renewed nationwide crackdown on criminal immigrants.
According to the DHS disclosure, the Nigerians listed were convicted of crimes ranging from fraud, drug trafficking and assault to manslaughter, robbery and other related offences. The information was released as part of a broader effort by U.S. authorities to publicise enforcement actions being carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under an intensified deportation policy.
An accompanying statement on the DHS website explained that the individuals were arrested during what officials described as a nationwide operation focused on removing criminal immigrants from the United States.
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the statement said.
It added that the enforcement actions were being carried out in line with the policy direction of President Donald Trump’s administration. “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations, starting with the worst of the worst, including the illegal aliens you see here,” the statement read.
Among the Nigerians named in the DHS listing are Boluwaji Akingunsoye, Ejike Asiegbunam, Emmanuel Mayegun Adeola, Bamidele Bolatiwa, Ifeanyi Nwaozomudoh, Aderemi Akefe, Solomon Wilfred, Chibundu Anuebunwa, Joshua Ineh, Usman Momoh, Oluwole Odunowo, Bolarinwa Salau and Oriyomi Aloba.
Other individuals identified include Oludayo Adeagbo, Olaniyi Akintuyi, Talatu Dada, Olatunde Oladinni, Jelili Qudus, Abayomi Daramola, Toluwani Adebakin, Olamide Jolayemi, Isaiah Okere, Benji Macaulay and Joseph Ogbara.
Also on the list are Olusegun Martins, Kingsley Ariegwe, Olugbenga Abass, Oyewole Balogun, Adeyinka Ademokunla, Christian Ogunghide, Christopher Ojuma, Olamide Adedipe, Patrick Onogwu, Olajide Olateru-Olagbegi and Omotayo Akinto.
Further names released by DHS include Kenneth Unanka, Jeremiah Ehis, Oluwafemi Orimolade, Ayibatonye Bienzigha, Uche Diuno, Akinwale Adaramaja, Boluwatife Afolabi, Chinonso Ochie, Olayinka A. Jones, Theophilus Anwana, Aishatu Umaru and Henry Idiagbonya.
Others listed are Okechukwu Okoronkwo, Daro Kosin, Sakiru Ambali, Kamaludeen Giwa, Cyril Odogwu, Ifeanyi Echigeme, Kingsley Ibhadore, Suraj Tairu, Peter Equere, Dasola Abdulraheem, Adewale Aladekoba and Akeem Adeleke.
The DHS document also mentioned Bernard Ogie Oretekor, Abiemwense Obanor, Olufemi Olufisayo Olutiola, Chukwuemeka Okorie, Abimbola Esan, Elizabeth Miller, Chima Orji, Adetunji Olofinlade, Abdul Akinsanya, Elizabeth Adeshewo, Dennis Ofuoma and Boluwaji Akingunsoye, whose name appeared again in the listing.
Other Nigerians named include Quazeem Adeyinka, Ifeanyi Okoro, Oluwaseun Kassim, Olumide Bankole Morakinyo, Abraham Ola Osoko, Oluchi Jennifer and Chibuzo Nwaonu.
U.S. authorities did not immediately provide a detailed breakdown of individual cases in the public listing, but stressed that those named had been convicted of criminal offences and were priorities for removal under existing immigration laws. Officials said the aim of publicising the names was to demonstrate the administration’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws and removing individuals considered a threat to public safety.
The latest disclosure comes amid a broader escalation of immigration enforcement actions across the United States. President Donald Trump’s administration has continued to pursue an aggressive policy toward illegal and criminal immigrants, expanding arrests, detentions and deportations through ICE and other federal agencies.
Reports indicate that the intensified deportation drive has had a significant impact on immigrant communities, including Nigerians living in the United States. It has been widely reported that some Nigerians have gone into hiding, while others are quietly returning to Nigeria amid fears of arrest and deportation.
The sweeping enforcement actions, which reportedly include house to house raids and workplace operations, have generated widespread fear and controversy in several U.S. cities. Civil rights groups and immigrant advocacy organisations have criticised the tactics, arguing that they create panic, disrupt families and communities, and risk targeting individuals indiscriminately.
In recent weeks, protests have erupted in parts of the country following a series of high profile incidents involving federal immigration officers. Demonstrators have accused the government of using excessive force and of pursuing policies that stigmatise immigrants as criminals, despite evidence that many undocumented migrants have no criminal records.
U.S. officials, however, have defended the operations, insisting that the focus remains on individuals with serious criminal convictions. DHS and ICE have repeatedly stated that public safety is at the core of the enforcement strategy and that deportations are being prioritised based on the severity of offences.
The inclusion of Nigerians in the DHS listing has also sparked discussions within the Nigerian diaspora about the reputational impact of such disclosures and the need for stronger engagement between Nigerian authorities and their citizens abroad. Analysts note that while the crimes of individuals should not be generalised to entire communities, high profile enforcement actions often shape public perception.
As the deportation drive continues, observers expect further disclosures and enforcement actions in the coming weeks. For many immigrants, including Nigerians, the current climate has underscored the uncertainty surrounding immigration policy in the United States and the far reaching consequences of criminal convictions for non citizens.
Meanwhile, advocacy groups have urged affected individuals to seek legal counsel and to understand their rights under U.S. law, even as the federal government presses ahead with what it describes as one of the most extensive immigration enforcement campaigns in recent years.
