US Adds Nigerians Linked to Child Offences to Fresh Deportation List
Ten Nigerians have been added to the public list of criminal immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement by the United States Department of Homeland Security, including those whose cases include alleged crimes against children.
The latest update comes as part of the stepped up immigration enforcement by the US administration, which followed the release of the names of 124 Nigerians on the same register seven weeks ago.
Among the new names are Ojehoro Lewis, who is charged with cruelty to a child in Texas, and Franklin Dikeocha, who is charged with a sex offence against a child in Dallas.
The addition of child related offences has highlighted the need to safeguard children from abuse and to ensure that allegations made against children are investigated appropriately and in accordance with the law.
Other Nigerians on the new register are associated with crimes such as wire fraud, identity theft, dangerous drugs, larceny, aggravated assault and weapons possession.
The DHS register, however, does not identify the people arrested by ICE, and it does not indicate that all those listed have been convicted of the offences. The publication also fails to establish that the 10 Nigerians have already been deported.
The register was established to show the “worst of worst criminal aliens” that ICE has arrested in the administration’s mass deportation campaign, DHS said.
From a child protection point of view, cases of alleged offences against children highlight the importance of child protection systems that put children’s safety first, ensure that allegations are properly investigated and that affected children are safeguarded during the legal process.
The latest update is not an indication that all 10 Nigerians have been deported from the country, but rather an addition to the US immigration enforcement register.
