US Deportation begins, says FG
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, says the US deportation of Nigerians has started.
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During a meeting with US Ambassador Richard Mills Jr, Bianca called on the United States to ensure a humane deportation process for Nigerians, highlighting concerns over the emotional and financial impact on deportees and their families.
Bianca, in a statement signed by her media aide, Magnus Eze, on Sunday, stated that “with about 201 Nigerians currently detained in US immigration centers, and about 85 cleared for deportation,” FG is pushing for a more humane process.
She noted that many Nigerians in the US send vital remittances to families in Nigeria, supporting their survival and funding their education.
Bianca pleaded that these deportations, particularly for individuals with no history of cr!me, should not be traumatic or abrupt.
“We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated?” she questioned.
The minister also expressed concern about the potential suspension of the US’s Drop Box Visa System, which has allowed Nigerians to renew visas without in-person interviews.
With thousands of Nigerians who rely on this system for travel to the US, Bianca urged the US to clarify its stance and ease the growing anxiety over visa procedures.
The future of Nigerian students in the US is also in question, as some 14,000 students are supported by families in Nigeria who fear that US policy changes may affect their children’s education.
Ambassador Mills assured that the Drop Box Visa System had not been suspended, explaining that the US was undergoing a policy review typical with any new administration.
On the deportation issue, Mills stated that those to be repatriated would return to Lagos and clarified that most deportees would include convicted cr!minals or individuals who vi0lated US immigration laws.
