The US Department of Homeland Security has published the names and photographs of 124 Nigerian nationals as part of its intensified immigration enforcement campaign, placing them on what it calls its "worst-of-the-worst" criminal register.
The list, released on the DHS website on Wednesday, July 8, identifies those affected as non-citizens convicted of serious crimes — though the agency has not broken down individual offenses, which reporting elsewhere indicates include assault, wire fraud, and other major convictions. No timeline for the actual deportations has been given.
The move is part of a broader enforcement campaign that began after President Trump's return to office on January 20, 2025. One of his first executive orders, titled "Protecting the American People Against Invasion," directed immigration authorities to prioritize the arrest and removal of migrants considered threats to public safety.
DHS credited its staff with "fulfilling President Trump's promise and carrying out mass deportations." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has separately defended the crackdown as consistent with the administration's immigration agenda.
Nigeria has faced increasing scrutiny under this policy — in June, Washington already imposed partial visa restrictions on Nigerian citizens, citing concerns over identity management, information sharing, visa overstay rates, and security screening.
The newly published register isn't limited to Nigerians; it also includes nationals from Cuba, Cameroon, Niger, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mexico, and Honduras. According to official figures, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador have recorded the highest deportee numbers since the crackdown intensified, with deportation flights also expanding to countries across Africa and Asia.
The publication of names and photos — rather than just statistics — marks a more visible phase of the campaign, and is likely to deepen concern among Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora about the scope of enforcement going forward.
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