The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released new data indicating that 335 Kenyans have been deported from the country over the past five years.
According to the report, 122 Kenyans were deported in 2019, while 85 were removed from the US in 2020. The numbers declined in subsequent years, with 33 deportations recorded in 2021, followed by 24 in 2022 and 23 in 2023. However, deportations have surged in the 2024 financial year, with 48 Kenyans being removed so far.
The enforcement unit clarified that these removals were carried out under Title 8 of the US Code, which grants ICE officers the authority to deport individuals with final orders of removal.
“An ICE removal is defined as the compulsory and confirmed movement of an inadmissible or deportable noncitizen out of the United States,” the report stated.
More Kenyans Facing Deportation
The number of deportations is expected to rise following a new executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. The directive focuses on the removal of undocumented immigrants who have been residing in the US without proper authorization.
Trump criticized previous immigration policies, arguing that they had contributed to an influx of illegal migration.
“Over the last four years, the prior administration invited, administered, and oversaw an unprecedented flood of illegal immigration into the United States,” he stated.
He further alleged that millions of undocumented immigrants had entered and settled in the US, either by crossing borders or flying in on commercial flights, in violation of long-standing federal laws.
As enforcement efforts intensify, more Kenyans residing in the US without valid documentation could face removal in the coming months.
