A document compiled by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) revealed that, as of November 24, 2024, a total of 1,445,549 non-citizens are on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
Nearly 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are facing deportation as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration, according to fresh data released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A document compiled by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) revealed that, as of November 24, 2024, a total of 1,445,549 non-citizens are on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders.
Among them, 3,690 are Nigerians, while an additional 1,454 Nigerians are currently in ICE detention and awaiting deportation, pushing the number to 5,144.
The report, titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”, showed that Mexico and El Salvador top the list, with 252,044 and 203,822 individuals facing deportation, respectively.
According to ICE data, 772 of the 1,454 detained Nigerians were arrested for criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, while the remainder were detained for immigration violations, such as visa overstays.
Additionally, 417 Nigerians have been removed from the U.S. in 2024, while 884 were deported between 2019 and 2024.
The mass deportation effort aligns with President Trump’s renewed immigration enforcement policies aimed at removing undocumented migrants.
ICE has already arrested nearly 3,000 individuals classified as “criminal aliens” within the first days of the operation.
While initial arrests targeted undocumented individuals with criminal records, concerns are growing that authorities may soon shift focus to non-detained immigrants with pending removal orders.
A “non-detained docket” refers to individuals ICE considers removable but who are not held in custody.
However, those with final orders of removal could still be deported at any time, either through formal proceedings or expedited removal.
Meanwhile, a final order of removal is typically issued against immigrants who have violated immigration laws, have criminal convictions, or lack legal immigration status.
In a recent statement, ICE explained that while it strives to deport individuals with final removal orders, several factors can prevent enforcement.
The agency cited legal protections, diplomatic issues, and foreign governments’ lack of cooperation as key obstacles.
“Under U.S. law, ICE has the authority to remove non-citizens with final orders of removal issued by immigration judges or those processed under expedited removal,” the agency stated.
“However, not every individual ordered to leave the country can be immediately deported.”
Some individuals pursue legal avenues such as asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If granted, these protections prevent ICE from carrying out the removal order.
Additionally, ICE noted that foreign governments’ refusal to accept deported individuals often delays or blocks the process.
However, despite these challenges, ICE has been instructed to ramp up arrest and removal operations.
The agency is expected to increase deportations to between 1,200 and 1,500 individuals per day, as per a directive under President Trump’s administration.
ICE Deputy Director Patrick J. Lechleitner highlighted the agency’s efforts to be transparent about enforcement actions.
“By releasing this data, ICE is demonstrating its commitment to openness. We will continue evaluating how to best communicate enforcement statistics and priorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has expanded its role in immigration enforcement.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman announced that federal law enforcement agencies—including the U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Prisons—have been authorised to assist in identifying and apprehending undocumented immigrants.
“This move empowers DOJ officials to help locate and arrest individuals who have entered the country illegally.
“For too long, immigration enforcement has lacked the necessary resources. This is a major step toward fulfilling President Trump’s promise of mass deportations,” Huffman added.