The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published the names and photographs of 24 Nigerian nationals arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on a range of criminal allegations, as the Trump administration continues its deportation campaign, Vanguard Nigeria reported.
The agency said it was “highlighting the worst of worst criminal aliens” arrested by ICE. The posting does not say whether any of those named has been deported or where their immigration cases stand.
What We Know So Far
The people listed were arrested in different parts of the United States, according to the information DHS released. The offenses attached to their names include wire and mail fraud, money laundering, drug crimes, identity theft, assault, forgery and cruelty toward a child.
Fraud and money laundering make up most of the entries. Wire fraud, mail fraud and fraud with impersonation appear repeatedly, and several people are listed for money laundering. Other entries cite drug possession or sale, identity theft, assault, larceny, and concealing stolen property. One entry lists a weapons offense along with fraud and false citizenship, and another lists cruelty toward a child.
The arrests took place in states including Texas, Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Maryland, Washington, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Utah, Wisconsin and New York.
Vanguard noted that the listing does not provide details on the final immigration status or deportation proceedings of each person. Being named, it said, should not by itself be read as confirmation of deportation. Bobnews24 is not republishing the individual names and arrest locations, since the department did not say whether the people listed have been convicted.
What Authorities Are Saying
DHS said its staff and ICE officers are “fulfilling President Trump’s promise” of mass deportations, “starting with the worst of the worst.” The department said the publication is part of its wider enforcement campaign, with ICE responsible for arrests nationwide.
A Separate DHS Case in Pennsylvania
In a separate statement posted this month, DHS said ICE arrested Chimaobim Adedayo Igbojekwe, a Nigerian who worked as a canvasser for Democratic congressional candidate Janelle Stelson in Pennsylvania’s 10th District. According to DHS, he was arrested Sept. 27 in East Pennsboro Township for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct and pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge. ICE took him into custody Oct. 1.
DHS said he was lawfully admitted in June 2017, stayed after his authorized period ended in November 2019, and was granted deferred action by the Biden administration in September 2021.
ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall criticized the campaign for employing him. “The Trump Administration will always put the safety of the American people first,” Wall said. The pasted material did not include a response from Stelson’s campaign.
Differing Accounts
Vanguard reported 24 Nigerians in the latest DHS posting, while Punch reported that ICE added 10 Nigerians to the department’s “Worst of the Worst” register in an update its correspondent saw Friday. The accounts may describe different updates, and the articles do not explain the gap. Punch said the 10 names were not among the 124 Nigerians DHS listed in July.
Why This Matters
The postings are a visible part of the administration’s messaging on immigration, pairing individual photos with the label “worst of the worst.” The practice raises questions about presumption of innocence when people are named before their cases are resolved. The department’s own list does not distinguish convictions from allegations in the information Vanguard cited.
For Nigeria, the postings add to a running count. The July update included 124 Nigerians, and neither Punch nor Vanguard reported deportation dates for those listed in July or in the newest postings.
What Happens Next
None of the updates give a timeline for removals. Further additions to the register are likely, given the pace of the updates. Nigerian authorities have not commented on the reporting provided.
Reporting drawn from Vanguard Nigeria, Punch Nigeria and a Department of Homeland Security statement, citing ICE.
