1 month ago
44
Already have Rappler+?
to listen to groundbreaking journalism.
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
While preparations are in place to address the potential deportation of Nigerians from the US due to Trump’s immigration policies, this does not affect American citizens currently residing in Nigeria
Claim: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has begun deporting 700 US citizens residing in Nigeria following reports of US President Donald Trump’s deportation of hundreds of Nigerians.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The TikTok video containing the claim has 3.2 million views, 159,600 likes, 20,100 shares, and 23,900 comments as of writing.
Text in the video states: “JUST IN: [Nigerian] President Tinubu has begun the process of deporting 700 US citizens residing in Nigeria, following reports of former President Trump deporting hundreds of Nigerians. In addition, Tinubu has announced a ban on the use of US-made phones, including iPhones.”
The facts: No agency responsible for immigration or deportation, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian Immigration Service, or the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, has confirmed any plans to deport 700 American citizens from Nigeria.
While preparations are in place to address the potential deportation of Nigerians from the US due to Trump’s immigration policies, this does not affect US citizens currently residing in Nigeria.
As of January 2025, the US has identified 3,690 Nigerians on the list of 1.4 million people facing deportation orders. These Nigerians are in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) non-detained docket, which means they have been ordered to leave the US but are not in ICE custody.
Over 5,000 Nigerians are at risk, with 3,690 in the non-detained docket and 1,454 in ICE detention, many for immigration violations. Of those in custody, 772 were detained for criminal convictions or pending charges, with the remainder arrested for immigration violations like visa overstays.
In response, the Nigerian government has set up an inter-agency committee to handle the deportation process if it happens. This committee includes members from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the National Security Adviser’s office. However, no Nigerians are being processed for deportation from the US at this time.
Trump’s second-term deportations: The claim surfaced amid ongoing discussions surrounding Trump’s immigration policies, with Trump pledging the “largest deportation operation” in US history as his second term begins.
Despite positioning himself as the strongest advocate for deportations, Trump sent home fewer people than his predecessors, with over 1.5 million expulsions during his first term. However, Trump’s approach differed in its indiscriminate nature, as his administration targeted a broader range of migrants, including those with no criminal convictions.
Trump is now ramping up his efforts by invoking wartime powers to expedite deportations. – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com
Marjuice Destinado is a Rappler intern. She is a third-year political science student at Cebu Normal University (CNU), serving as feature editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official student publication.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
How does this make you feel?
Loading
