* Topping the list are countries bordering the US that have had running battles with the US on many immigration issues that include illegal immigration and importation of illicit drugs
* Such countries include Honduras, which has over 261,651 illegal immigrants on the list; Guatemala 253,413, Mexico (252,044)
* El Salvador (203,822); Nicaragua (45,995); Cuba (42,084); Colombia (27,388) Venezuela (22,749) and Peru (13,769)
By Duncan Mlanjira
From a total of over 1,445,549 of non-citizens living illegally in the United States of America (USA), which were identified in November 2024 by the enforcement & removal operations (ERO) of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 56 are Malawians.
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This is contained in ICE’s report of November 2024 that the ERO then was expected to deport from the US following a questionnaire it received from the media asking how many individuals on the non-detained docket had final orders of removal.
The ICE was asked to provide the data broken down by nationality and categories of reasons that make it difficult to remove to specific countries (e.g., withholdings and convention against torture protections) — but was unable to.
“There are several reasons why ICE is unable to effectuate removals,” says the report. “Under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, ICE may remove non-citizens 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. There are several reasons ICE may not be able to effectuate the removal of a noncitizen with a final order of removal.”
Raids by the ICE
Topping the list are countries bordering the US that have had running battles with the US on many immigration issues that include illegal immigration and importation of illicit drugs.
Such countries include Honduras, which has over 261,651 illegal immigrants on the list; Guatemala 253,413, Mexico (252,044), El Salvador (203,822); Nicaragua (45,995); Cuba (42,084); Colombia (27,388) Venezuela (22,749) and Peru (13,769).
Brazil has 38,677 on the list while the People’s Republic of China has 37,908 with Somalia topping the list in Africa at 4,090, followed by Nigeria (3,690); Senegal (1,689); Kenya (1,282); Côte d’Ivoire (1,224); Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (1,068); Sudan (1,012).
The southern Africa has Zimbabwe at 545; South Africa (379); Tanzania (301); Zambia 174 while the lowest are Seychelles (4) and Madagascar (5).
Additionally, ICE says it is working towards the removal of the undocumented non-citizens “once they are subject to final orders of removal in a timely manner”.
“The US Government believes every country is obligated to accept the return of its citizens and nationals who are ineligible to remain in the United States.
“Lack of cooperation from the foreign government delays and, in many cases, inhibits the removal process. The U.S. Government requests foreign governments take appropriate steps to confirm the citizenship of non-citizens suspected to be their nationals, which include conducting interviews, issuing travel documents in a timely manner, and accepting the physical return of their nationals by scheduled commercial or charter flights consistent with ICE and/or foreign government removal guidelines.
“Lack of cooperation from countries in accepting the return of their nationals may lead to ICE classifying those countries as uncooperative or at-risk of non-compliance.
Malawi is not amongst the list of 15 countries that ICE currently, considers to be uncooperative, which are People’s Republic of China, Bhutan, Burma, Cuba, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and in Africa; DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
There are 11 countries that ICE considers to be at risk of non-compliance: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Iraq, Jamaica, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, Vietnam and in Africa; Burkina Faso, Gabon, Gambia and South Sudan.
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