Many Nigerians living in the United States are now living in fear following President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown. Trump, who returned to office for a second term on January 20, 2025, has vowed to deport undocumented immigrants, especially those he refers to as “criminal aliens.”
A Professor of Social Ethics at Boston University, Nimi Wariboko, spoke about the situation during a virtual appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program aired on Channels Television. Wariboko noted that many Nigerians without legal residency in the U.S. are deeply worried about their fate.
“Here, of course, there are a good number of Nigerians that don’t have papers. So, there are worrying,” he said, describing the fear within the Nigerian community just weeks after Trump’s return to the Oval Office.
The professor explained that some undocumented immigrants are now going into hiding to avoid detection by immigration authorities. He noted that even minor disputes with neighbors could lead to arrests, as people fear being reported to immigration enforcement.
Trump’s immigration policies have already led to mass raids across the country, targeting homes, workplaces, schools, and even shopping centers. Many undocumented immigrants from countries like Nigeria, India, and Guatemala have been detained and deported. While some Americans support the crackdown, others believe it is too harsh.
Wariboko also noted that many undocumented Nigerians are upset with those back home in Nigeria, feeling abandoned in their time of need. They fear that if deported, they may struggle to find jobs or support themselves in Nigeria.
“They (undocumented Nigerian immigrants) are saying at the end of the day, if this great replacement holds, they are going to be sent back home. Do you have jobs to absorb them?”
Beyond undocumented immigrants, Wariboko warned that even legal residents and naturalized U.S. citizens could face challenges if Trump follows through on plans to change birthright citizenship laws.
He urged the Nigerian government to take an interest in the situation, noting that the deportation of Nigerian immigrants could have economic consequences. Many Nigerians abroad send money home to support their families, and a decline in remittances could hurt the Nigerian economy.
“They are saying even if you don’t like us, people in the U.S. send billions of dollars home every year to sustain the Nigerian economy, to sustain their families. Even for the sake of economic interest, Nigeria should care about that because there is money that comes from here to sustain different families.”
Remittances from Nigerians abroad reached $20 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank. Wariboko argued that Nigeria should see the issue as a matter of national interest and advocate for its citizens.
Trump’s immigration stance is similar to his first term in office when he imposed travel restrictions on Nigeria in 2020. The U.S. cited security concerns and a lack of proper identity management as reasons for the ban.
Nigeria remains the largest source of African immigration to the U.S., with approximately 376,000 Nigerians living in America as of 2015. Many young Nigerians and middle-class professionals continue to see the U.S. as a top destination for better opportunities.
