Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the country is already been heavily felt, with different with different orders he signed off including the repatriation of those sitting on American soil without proper documentation. Data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as of November 2024, 1,445,549 illegal individuals are in the US.
Topping the list of other African countries affected including Cameroon is Somalia with 4,090, followed by Mauritania 3,822, Nigeria 3,690. The US government has urged affected countries to facilitate the return of their nationals, with some countries accepting to welcome their deported citizens like China, Venezuela, Colombia.
However, not all illegal migrants will be deported. The ICE document clarifies that “under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, ICE may remove noncitizens from the United States who are subject to final orders of removal issued by an immigration judge or other lawful orders, including those processed under expedited removal who either have not claimed a fear of return or received a negative credible fear determination affirmed by an immigration judge. However, this does not guarantee every person seeking to remain in the United States will be able to do so”.
It is worth noting that South American countries have the highest figures on the list, with Mexico leading the figures at 252,044 and El Salvador 203,822.
No official statement has yet been made from Cameroon on the welfare of its citizens but it is expected of the country to accept to welcome it’s citizens. This massive deportation raises concerns about its economic and social impact, for the African governments that must now face the challenge of reintegrating thousands of returnees.
