Fear Fuels Flight: Nigerians In US Secretly Flee Back Home Amid Trump’s ICE Blitz

A Punch report revealed that many immigrants have stopped showing up at work as Trump continues to back the activities of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Shortly after taking office in January 2025, the US president introduced an aggressive immigration policy aimed at arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants immediately.

However, the approach has drawn heavy criticism both within the United States and abroad, with many condemning what they describe as harsh and inhumane treatment of immigrants by ICE.

Sources who spoke with Punch said several Nigerians have abandoned their jobs, while many are quietly returning to Nigeria out of fear.

In a viral Instagram video, a Nigerian woman broke down in tears as she described the panic and sorrow gripping immigrant communities.

She said she was deeply shaken by the death of Pretti, an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Centre, and claimed that ICE agents were targeting immigrants indiscriminately, regardless of citizenship status.

“It is very traumatising the way these (ICE) people are treating immigrants,” she said. “President Trump, if you want immigrants to leave America, just tell us clearly.”

The woman, who asked to be identified as Senior Immigrant, explained that many Nigerians have turned to online businesses and trading as a safer means of survival, since fear of immigration raids has kept them away from their workplaces.

She cited examples, including a shop assistant who stopped coming to work in December after ICE raids occurred near her area, and a family that left factory work and began selling goods from home after community members raised funds to support them.

“My girl who worked in my shop stopped coming in mid-December because she was scared for her life,” she said. “People are staying indoors because of fear.”

She added that some families now rely on home-based cooking businesses where customers place orders online and pick up meals directly from their houses.

Supporting her account, the President of the Nigerian community in Maryland, Chris Ademiluyi, noted that many immigrants have opted to remain in hiding instead of returning to Nigeria.

He explained that Nigeria’s economic hardship and security challenges make returning home an unattractive option for many.

“They are in hiding instead. Nigeria is not any better,” Ademiluyi said, adding that many are unwilling to speak openly due to fear.

Meanwhile, the founder of the Nigerian Centre confirmed that many Nigerians are carefully considering whether to remain in the US or return home voluntarily.

She said the centre often receives people seeking legal advice about their options, including whether they can return to the US if they leave.

In some cases, she noted, overstayed visas may still be resolved through legal waivers, depending on the circumstances.

However, she admitted she does not have exact figures on how many Nigerians have actually left the country or acted on such advice.