15 Kenyans face deportation from US

US President Donald Trump is deporting 15 Kenyan nationals whom his government calls the “worst of the worst”.

The Kenyans were arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency under the country’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Kenyans, who are now branded “criminal aliens, have already been convicted of crimes ranging from drink driving to kidnapping.

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“Under Secretary (Kristi)Noem's leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations — starting with the worst of the worst — including the illegal aliens you see here,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

The list, released on December 10, shows that the arrests spanned several US states.

The Kenyans, now in detention, were picked up in coordinated operations across Colorado, Texas, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Utah, Massachusetts, Washington, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.

Their alleged crimes range from violent offences and assault to domestic violence, fraud, drug-related offences and driving under influence. Among them are cases of aggravated assault, weapon offences, racketeering, drug offences, kidnapping and other serious criminal activity.

Information released by ICE in January immediately Trump took office revealed that 1,282 Kenyans were among 1.4 million immigrants on the US deportation list, as of November 24, 2024.

It is not clear how many have been deported so far.

The latest list has Kenyans and other nationalities from across the globe but doesnot include Kenyan Somalis, who are among those targeted in the recent ICE operations in Minnesota.

It is not clear how many Kenyans live in the United States.

However, the International Organization for Migration in 2020 showed about 157,000 Kenyans live in the US.

The number is based on the Dataset of International Migrant Stock 2020 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

“A summary of migration flow from Kenya to different countries shows United States of America has the highest number of Kenyan migrants (157,000) followed by United Kingdom (139,000),” IOM said.

The ongoing deportations are a major part of the administration of Trump.

According to public data, ICE had deported nearly 200,000 people to different countries in the first seven months since Trump returned to office, putting the agency on track for its highest annual removals in more than a decade.

Some observers expect the total deportations (including those by other agencies such as US Customs and Border Protection, as well as voluntary repatriations) to approach 350,000 by the year’s end.

Kenyans are among the communities closely watched by US immigration authorities.

The DHS “Worst of the Worst” programme targets non-citizens with criminal convictions— especially serious or violent crimes —for detention and removal. The agency says this prioritisation is part of efforts to safeguard public safety and fulfill immigration-enforcement mandates.

By highlighting the nationalities of those arrested, DHS aims to signal to immigrant communities that no group is exempt from enforcement, especially those with criminal records.

However, advocacy groups and human-rights observers warn that broad sweeps risk ensnaring people who pose little threat to public safety, especially when data on convictions and offences is limited or not independently verified.

All 15 remain in the custody of ICE pending their removal. DHS said the aim is to deport “criminal illegal aliens” whose convictions make them priorities under US immigration rules.

“With the public release of this enforcement data, ICE continues to demonstrate its commitment to keeping communities safe and focusing our enforcement resources on those who pose threats to public safety and national security,” said ICE deputy director Patrick J Lechleitner in a separate statement.

What the List Shows

· Nationality: Kenyan

· Number of people identified: 15

· States of arrest: Colorado; Texas; California; Arizona; Tennessee; Utah; Massachusetts; Washington; Georgia; Pennsylvania; Minnesota.

· Crimes cited: Assault, domestic violence, driving under influence, drug offences, aggravated assault with weapons, fraud, kidnapping, racketeering, weapons offences, and other serious criminal charges.