The United States (U.S) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday, January 13, arrested 30 Nigerians and other foreign nationals with criminal records identified on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “Worst of the Worst” list as part of an intensified deportation crackdown.
A key element of these efforts was operation metro surge in Minnesota, where authorities reported between 2,000 and 3,000 arrests from late 2025 into early 2026.
A targeted enforcement action from January 13 to January 14, specifically focused on individuals accused of violent crime, sexual offenses, domestic abuse, and drug trafficking.
Although the Nigeria‑specific section of the DHS “Worst of the Worst” page currently shows no entries, at least two Nigerian nationals were named among those arrested in Minneapolis during January 2026 as part of the broader operation.
In addition, ICE public records from 2025–2026 include several other cases involving Nigerian citizens charged with serious offenses such as rape, assault, fraud, and sexual misconduct.
These documented cases represent a relatively small number of Nigerians within the larger set of “Worst of the Worst” profiles, despite data indicating that Nigeria accounted for a significant share of African nationals arrested on criminal grounds during this period.
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