Nigeria has officially accused the United States of exerting pressure on African nations to receive deportees from Venezuela.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar disclosed on Channels TV that the US government is pressuring Nigeria to accept 300 Venezuelan deportees. He indicated that recent visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian citizens by the US are not mutual but rather a tactic of coercion.
“The US is exerting significant pressure on African nations to accommodate Venezuelans they aim to deport from the US, some of whom have just been released from prison,” he stated.
Nigeria’s Position on Deportation
Minister Tuggar resolutely proclaimed that Nigeria will not become a “receptacle for Venezuelan prisoners deported from the US.”
He said Nigeria is already grappling with its own issues, having a population of 230 million people.
The US Department of State noted that almost all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas granted to citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ethiopia will now be single-entry and valid for only three months. This adjustment is part of a “global reciprocity realignment.”
The US Deportation Strategy
US President Donald Trump‘s immigration approach focuses on expelling unlawful immigrants from the US.
Since assuming office, Trump has enacted numerous executive orders related to immigration, aimed at reinforcing measures against undocumented migrants. With more than 21 actions, Trump aims to revamp deportation procedures.
As reported by the New York Times, the US administration is in discussions with nearly sixty nations to take in deportees who are not their citizens.
Many of these nations, mainly in Africa, face complete or partial travel bans to the United States or are under consideration for imposition.
US Solicitor General John Sauer pointed out that some nations refuse to accept violent criminal migrants, leaving them in the US, “victimizing law-abiding Americans.”
Third Nations and Their Considerations
Reports suggest that Liberia may be weighing a US proposal to accept deported individuals, including offenders, due to its historical ties with America.
Conversely, South Sudan has already accepted eight convicted deportees from the US, although only one was a citizen of South Sudan.
This move is perceived as an effort to alleviate punitive travel restrictions from Washington after Juba initially declined to accept South Sudanese deported from the US.
In Rwanda, negotiations with the US are ongoing about potentially accepting deportees, including individuals from Africa and non-Rwandan citizens. Negotiations regarding financial compensation and other specifics are still being finalized.
Costa Rica has declared an agreement to accept migrants deported by the United States following a deal between the two countries.
The arrangement involves the repatriation of 200 illegal migrants, predominantly from Central Asia and India. Among those deported are over 80 children accommodated in a Temporary Migrant Care Centre.
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