Nigerians in US return quietly, others go underground as Trump steps up ICE raids

Some Nigerians living in the United States are quietly making their way back home, while many others have withdrawn from public life amid an intensified immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration.

A report by The Punch indicates that fear has gripped immigrant communities following renewed assurances by Trump in support of aggressive operations by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As a result, several undocumented migrants have reportedly stopped going to work, with some opting to leave the country discreetly.

Trump launched the tougher immigration enforcement immediately after his inauguration in January 2025, directing authorities to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants.

The policy has drawn widespread criticism within and outside the US, particularly over allegations of excessive force and inhumane treatment by ICE officers.

Sources who spoke to the publication disclosed that numerous Nigerians have abandoned their jobs, while others are secretly returning to Nigeria to avoid possible arrest.

The growing anxiety was recently highlighted in a viral Instagram video showing a Nigerian woman in tears as she described the distress and fear among immigrants in the US.

She said the situation worsened after the death of Pretti, an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Centre, whom she claimed was killed by ICE operatives.

According to her, immigration officers target people indiscriminately.

“It is very traumatising the way these (ICE) people are treating immigrants,” she said. “President Trump, if you want the immigrants to leave America, tell us. Just come out and say, ‘All immigrants, we want you out, whether you are criminal or not.’”

Speaking further under the alias Senior Immigrant, the woman told the publication that fear of ICE has pushed many Nigerians into alternative means of survival, including online-based trading.

She cited examples of individuals who stopped reporting to work and families who abandoned factory jobs after ICE raids in their areas, turning instead to home-based businesses.

“My girl, who was working with me in my shop, stopped coming in mid-December. The reason was that she was scared for her life because ICE came to my area. The most unfortunate thing was that they came to her area in New Jersey. Since then, she has had anxiety and fear,” she said.

“People are staying indoors because of the fear of ICE. They get family support from those who work.

Two weeks ago, someone called me to say that they were donating to support some families, and they requested that I contribute, which I did. That is where people are.

“Many people just stop working because they don’t have the criteria to work. The family I was talking about worked in a factory, and they stopped because of ICE. They started selling stuff from home.

“Another family cooks, and people start to come and pick it up from their house after they would have ordered online. There are many people with other serious experiences,” she added.

Confirming these accounts, the President of the Nigerian community in Maryland, Chris Ademiluyi, said most affected Nigerians were choosing to stay out of sight rather than return home.

According to him, the prevailing economic and security challenges in Nigeria discourage many from going back.

“They are in hiding instead. Nigeria is not any better. Some people affected may want to talk anonymously, but they are not talking because of fear,” Ademiluyi said.

He noted that Nigerian-Americans within his community were largely insulated from the crisis and continued to receive community support.

Similarly, the founder of the Nigerian Centre said many Nigerians were currently assessing whether to remain in the US or return home, noting a rise in voluntary departures.

“We’ve seen cases where a lot of people are self-deporting right now.

“At the center, I’ve seen people who come in and say things like they just want to know what their options are.

“Some of them asked if they would be able to come back to the US if they leave. I will let them know what the options are, and what the law says about that.

“There was a case that I can think of most recently, where some people would advise them that they should not consider leaving the country right now, just because their situation was not as bad.

“They probably came here on a visiting visa. And maybe they have overstayed for a couple of days, maybe not months or years.

And you can file a waiver for those if it’s not up to a particular time. So, it’s probably in your interest. We’ve advised people to do so based on their case.

“Now, do I have numbers of those who have actually gone back, and who have taken the advice? The answer is: I don’t know. I don’t have those numbers.”