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US-based Nigerians Go Into Hiding Amid Trump’s Deportation Crackdown

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Nigerian illegal immigrants in the United States have disclosed that they have restricted their movements to public places to avoid being arrested and deported.

This came as they expressed optimism that they would be protected against deportation by the many lawsuits filed against President Donald Trump over his immigration policies.

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Some of the illegal immigrants, who spoke to The PUNCH, said they had refrained from going to work, church, and public places since Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States as a sacrifice to continue staying in the country.

3,690 Nigerians face deportation

About 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are facing deportation, according to a document compiled by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Removal Operations.

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The document, titled, ‘Non-citizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship,’ shows that Mexico and El Salvador top the list of nations facing the highest number of deportations, with 252,044 and 203,822, respectively.

As revealed in the document, 1,445,549 non-citizens were on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders as of November 24, 2024.

On his inauguration day, Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at toughening immigration policies, including the termination of birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants.

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The US Justice Department also threatened to prosecute local and state authorities that failed to comply with Trump’s immigration directives, which included a pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

Following the directive, 538 illegal immigrants were deported from the United States on January 23.

READ ALSO: Deportation: Trump Administration Revokes Protected Status For Venezuelans

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We no longer go out – Nigerian immigrants

Meanwhile, Trump’s Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, disclosed on her official X handle that the largest deportation operation in history was underway.

Reports had it earlier that Nigerians and other African illegal immigrants in the United States might be the next targets for deportation by the American government.

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However, our correspondents gathered that the affected Nigerians had devised means to avoid being deported, expressing fear that their forced return to Nigeria might spell doom for them.

In separate interviews, the illegal immigrants, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being identified, stated that their difficult living conditions in the US were better than returning to Nigeria, citing reports of hardship and insecurity as their major concerns.

One of the affected Nigerians, who resides in Tampa, Florida, said he had stopped going to work to avoid being arrested by ICE operatives.

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He said, “Ever since Trump came to power and acted on his threat of deportation, some of us have stopped going to work because ICE officers can raid workplaces to arrest illegal immigrants at any time.”

Aside from that, the distressed Nigerian said he had also stopped going to church and other public places, disclosing that the only safe place for him was his house.

I work in a factory with many other Nigerians and Africans. Some other Africans who are also illegal immigrants have stopped going to work. The fear of Trump is the beginning of wisdom now.

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“I don’t go to church anymore because it is possible to be arrested there. For now, the only safe place is your house—stay indoors.”

However, he expressed optimism that the deportation exercise would be relaxed after some months.

“We survived Obama’s deportation actions; we will survive this one as well. We hope that the various lawsuits against the immigration policies will slow things down and eventually restrain Trump from carrying them out.”

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READ ALSO: Trump Vows To Appeal Birthright Citizenship Ruling

Asked why he had yet to regularise his documents, he said all efforts to validate his stay in the US had been futile.

According to him, all the systems he tried to obtain valid residency papers didn’t work for him, lamenting that he had lost close to $30,000 in the process.

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He said, “I left Nigeria for the US in 2013, and I have been trying to get my papers since then. I was scammed through marriage and other means. In this regularisation process, I have lost close to $30,000. At a point, I wanted to file for asylum, but I was advised against it because I had spent over three years without valid papers. I decided to take under-the-table jobs instead.”

Another Nigerian illegal immigrant in Columbus, Ohio said he stopped going to work for the first week after Trump’s inauguration due to fear of being deported.

According to him, though Nigerians are not the primary targets of the mass deportation exercise, any foreign national staying in the US illegally can be arrested and deported by ICE operatives at any time.

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He explained that the first set of illegal immigrants being deported were those with criminal records, noting that the process of deporting others without criminal offences had also begun.

I cannot assume that Nigerians are not their target now and become exposed to them. No. The best self-defence is to stay out of trouble, and the best way to avoid being deported is to stay out of sight of ICE officers.

“The truth is, Trump’s war on illegal immigrants has restricted our movements. People are mindful of where they go now. The situation is like a rat monitoring the presence of a cat before stepping out. Personally, I stopped going to work the first week Trump was inaugurated, and I have not been going to work regularly since. May we not be unfortunate.

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“Going back to Nigeria is not an option—not when millions of Nigerians are trying to japa because of hardship and insecurity. My difficult living conditions here are still better than what is considered ‘comfortable’ in Nigeria. However, we hope that this threat will subside in the next few months,” he said.

READ ALSO: Trump Withdraws US From WHO, Paris Climate Accord On First Day Back In Office

Speaking with The PUNCH, a Nigerian journalist in the US said many Africans in the country were anxious about Trump’s immigration policies.

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“If they ask all of us to go back to our countries, we will have no choice but to leave. It is their country. If Nigeria were a better place, nobody would have left in the first place, and many of us would be ready to go back home. But unfortunately, our country has been plagued by bad leadership,” he stated.

According to him, the deportation exercise is more welcomed in Republican-controlled states than in Democrat states.

He confirmed that many Nigerians and other Africans had restricted their movements in various parts of the US to avoid being arrested and deported.

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It is true that Nigerians are avoiding public places, including their workplaces and churches, but it is not in every state,” he stated.

Also, a Nigerian Uber driver in New York, who identified himself only as Mathew, said some of his colleagues had been staying home and reducing their movements in the neighbourhoods.

“A lot of my Nigerian colleagues are not coming out for now. They can’t just risk it. They are all afraid of deportation,” he said.

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Speaking with The PUNCH, a Nigerian lawyer in the US disclosed that many Nigerian churches had instructed their members who are illegal immigrants to join online services.

“Some people have gone underground. Nigerian churches are advising their congregations to worship online and not come to church if they are undocumented,” he said.

(PUNCH)

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Six Dead, Others Trapped As Gold Collapse

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Six people have been killed and up to 20 others are feared trapped after a gold mine collapsed in northern Sudan, authorities said on Saturday.

The accident occurred on Friday in the Um Aud area, west of the city of Berber in River Nile state, said Hassan Ibrahim Karar, executive director of the Berber locality.

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“Efforts are ongoing to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble,” Karar said, without specifying the cause of the collapse of the artisanal mine.

Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, both sides have largely financed their war efforts through the country’s gold industry.

READ ALSO:EPL: Arsenal Stumble As Brentford Snatch Late Draw At The Emirates

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Official and NGO sources say nearly all of Sudan’s gold trade is funnelled through the United Arab Emirates, which has been widely accused of supplying arms to the RSF — a charge it denies.

Despite the conflict, the army-backed government announced record gold production of 64 tonnes for 2024.

Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country by area, remains one of the continent’s top gold producers.

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However, most gold is extracted through artisanal and small-scale mining operations, which lack proper safety measures and often use hazardous chemicals, resulting in severe health risks for miners and nearby communities. Buy vitamins and supplements.

READ ALSO:Senegal’s New President Orders Economic Recovery Plan

Before the war pushed 25 million Sudanese into acute food insecurity, artisanal mining employed more than two million people, according to industry figures.

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Today, mining experts say much of the gold produced by both warring factions is smuggled through Chad, South Sudan and Egypt before reaching the UAE — currently the world’s second-largest gold exporter.

The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced roughly 10 million people, creating the world’s largest displacement crisis. An additional four million Sudanese have fled across borders.

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Popular Nail Polish Ingredient Banned Over Fertility Fears

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The European Union has outlawed the use of TPO in all cosmetic products as of September 1, citing evidence that it may cause long-term fertility problems. The move forces nail salons in all 27 EU countries, as well as Norway and others that follow EU rules, to stop offering TPO-based gels and safely dispose of their stock. Manufacturers will now be required to reformulate their products without the chemical.

TPO has been a staple in the beauty industry, used as a photoinitiator to harden polish quickly under ultraviolet light and give manicures a glossy, long-lasting finish. But while gel polish has been praised for staying chip-free for weeks, experts say the ingredient behind its durability may carry hidden dangers.

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READ ALSO:Lagos Enforces Ban, Seizes Single-use Plastics From Supermarkets

Industry insiders expect the UK and other countries to follow suit with a similar ban by late 2026. The US, however, has yet to propose any such restrictions, though American salons that import products from Europe could be affected.

This ingredient could not be defended. The industry was unable to prove there were no safer alternatives,” said Francesca Rapolla of the UK’s Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association.

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Still, not everyone agrees with the ban. Belgian retailer ASAP Nails and Beauty Supply warned of “major economic damage” to small businesses and argued there is “no human evidence of danger”. Meanwhile, US-based consultant Doug Schoon criticised the EU’s decision as “disproportionate”, saying it would waste safe products and undermine confidence in regulators.

READ ALSO:Firm Wants Attorney-General Investigate Court Ruling On Breach Of Contract

The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of chemicals in everyday cosmetics. Experts warn that toxic compounds, including endocrine disruptors, may contribute to rising cases of infertility, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. One striking trend is the surge in endometriosis cases — a painful condition linked to infertility — as global cases have risen to nearly 190 million. Scientists believe endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and now TPO could be a driving force.

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“These chemicals can linger in the body for years, stored in fatty tissue. They affect the immune system, disrupt hormones, and in some women, may trigger reproductive problems and endometriosis,” said Professor Katie Burns of the University of Cincinnati.

For now, Europe has chosen precaution over profit. The debate over TPO could prove a turning point in the battle over hidden toxins in beauty products — and their long-term toll on women’s health.

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Trump Threatens Severe Consequences Against ‘Wrongful’ Detention Of U.S. Nationals Abroad

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Trump threatens severe consequences against ‘wrongful’ detention of U.S. nationals abroad
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to protect U.S. nationals from what he termed “wrongful detention” abroad.

U.S. Department of State, in a statement issued on Friday, threatened severe consequences for those who “wrongfully” detain Americans abroad.

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“Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order that takes unprecedented action to impose new consequences on those who wrongfully detain Americans abroad,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:Why We Shun Pedestrian Bridges Despite Risks, Despite Punitive Measures — Lagosians

Through this Executive Order, actors designated as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention may face severe penalties,” the statement added.

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The penalties include economic sanctions, visa restrictions, foreign assistance restrictions and travel restrictions for U.S. passport holders, according to the statement.

Like the State Sponsor of Terrorism determination, no nation should want to end up on this list.

READ ALSO:Trump Moves To Cut More Foreign Aid, Risking Shutdown

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The bottom line: Anyone who uses an American as a bargaining chip will pay the price.”

This administration is not only putting America first but also putting Americans first, the statement said

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