The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has warned Nigerians in the diaspora to save their earnings in dollars in Nigeria. They give them advice in anticipation of the impending U.S.A. deportation disaster.
The body relayed this advice following the release of a list of deportable immigrants by nationality and size by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE), which included about 3,690 Nigerians.
Background
Since the swearing-in of the current President of the Country, Donald Trump, efforts have been made to crack down on all undocumented immigrants who stay in the country.
The businessman has been adamant on the issue of immigration right from time—even in his former tenure, where he started the project of building border walls alongside neighbouring countries to crack down on undocumented immigrants.
Last Thursday, ICE started the U.S.A. deportation journey by arresting hundreds of migrants and flying some out of the country on military planes to kick off the crackdown.
This leads to many Nigerians without legal status being worried about being deported, especially after Trump’s recent actions.
However, this is only the beginning of many of Trump’s strict immigration policies, as he also stopped the automatic citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants on his first day in office.
Why Are about 3,690 Nigerians facing deportation from the U.S.?
The US’s immigration policy aims to remove individuals staying in the country illegally or those who have violated visa terms.
These individuals have been threatened with deportation for several reasons. Many of them enter on student, work, or tourist visas but later overstay, leading them to the possibility of deportation.
Others seek asylum due to economic hardship or security concerns back home. Unfortunately, those who lack legal status are at high risk of deportation as ICE continues its crackdowns.
The U.S. has long been a destination for Nigerian immigrants, with approximately more than 700,000 living over there as of 2022. However, this could keep reducing, pending the investigation of more undocumented Nigerians by ICE.
NIDCOM’s Warning: What It Means for Nigerians in the U.S.?
The commission has urged Nigerians living abroad, especially those at risk of deportation, to safeguard their finances by transferring their earnings home.
This specifically warns against leaving funds in U.S. banks where they may become difficult to access if deported.
At least by saving in Nigerian banks or converting their funds into assets, it can be accessed locally in case of an abrupt deportation.
Deportation often means sudden job loss, frozen accounts, and an immediate need for funds upon return.
The fear is that those who fail to secure their money before deportation could lose access to their hard-earned wealth.
The body also advocates for the huge sum of money the diaspora might bring into the country. Yearly, Nigeria receives about $20 billion in diaspora remittances.
The government’s recommendations draw attention to the deportees’ wider financial difficulties, such as their inability to reintegrate into the country without funds and the lack of available employment opportunities in Nigeria right away.