Some Nigerians in the United States are going into hiding or returning home amid an intensified deportation campaign by President Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to sources.
Nigerian Mirror learned that many immigrants have stopped going to work as Trump reaffirmed his support for the agency’s actions, which include house-to-house enforcement raids. The operations have sparked panic, protests and debate, particularly following a series of high-profile deadly incidents involving ICE officers.
Trump launched his policy to immediately arrest and remove undocumented immigrants after his inauguration in January 2025. The policy has drawn criticism in the U.S. and abroad for the harsh treatment of detainees.
People speaking from the U.S. said some Nigerians abandoned workplaces and were secretly returning to Nigeria. Reports indicate at least 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025, the deadliest year in over two decades for ICE-related deaths. In 2026, at least eight people have died during interactions with ICE, according to The Guardian (UK).
Recent high-profile cases fueling fear include the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Good, 37, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 7 during an enforcement operation. The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide. Pretti, also 37, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.
Since the crackdown began, about 70,000 people have been detained, and roughly 540,000 immigrants deported, officials said.
In a viral Instagram video, a Nigerian woman identified as Senior Immigrant described widespread fear among immigrants. She said ICE agents “kill any immigrants, whether they are U.S. citizens or not” and called the treatment traumatizing.
Many Nigerians have turned to online trading or home-based businesses to earn a living. She cited a shopkeeper who stopped going to work in New Jersey in December due to ICE activity and a family that began selling goods from home after abandoning factory work.
“People are staying indoors because of the fear of ICE,” she said. “Families are supporting each other, donating money to help those who cannot go out. Many just stop working because they don’t meet ICE’s criteria to work.”
The woman said these measures reflect the growing anxiety among immigrants in the U.S., who fear being detained or deported at any moment.
