A coalition of civil society organisations based in Nigeria has issued a strong condemnation of the United States’ recent increase in deportations of immigrants, many of whom are of African descent. At a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, the Convener of the Human Rights Monitors (HRM), Armsfree Ajanaku called for an urgent change in US policies and urged African governments to better support their citizens in the diaspora.
HRM, comprising several prominent NGOs, stated that the mass deportations initiated by the US administration since January 2025 violate the fundamental human rights of immigrants. The coalition highlighted reports of home raids, mass arrests, family separations, and the harassment of asylum seekers.
“These actions, from a country which prides itself as the bastion of democracy and human rights, violate the rights of asylum-seekers and migrants, while denying them the opportunity to ask for safety, and security,” HRM stated. The coalition also pointed to concerns raised by the American Civil Liberties Union regarding increased racial profiling, border killings, and denial of due process rights.
HRM revealed that it had submitted a statement to the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, drawing attention to the “forced and arbitrary deportation of immigrants” in the US and urging the country to uphold its obligations under international law.
The coalition argued that mass deportations violate several international human rights and refugee conventions, including the principle of non-refoulement (protection against return to a place of serious harm), the right to seek asylum, freedom from arbitrary detention, the right to family unity, and the principle of non-discrimination. They also highlighted the potential for deported individuals to face torture or cruel treatment.
While critical of US policies, HRM also called on African governments to establish effective systems to support their citizens facing challenges abroad, noting the significant remittances sent home by the diaspora. However, the coalition emphasised that the primary responsibility for protecting the rights of those affected lies with the United States, in line with international law and its own adoption of the Refugee Protocol.
Call for African Reparations
In a postscript to their press conference, Human Rights Monitors also commended the African Union for designating 2025 as the “Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.” The coalition stated that this theme aptly reflects the continent’s demand for justice for the centuries of slavery and colonialism.
HRM argued that if reparations were paid for the Holocaust, there is no logical basis to oppose reparations for Africa. The coalition pledged its commitment to educating Nigerians and other Africans about the importance of this struggle.
The press conference concluded with a call for collective action from the UN, civil society, and African leaders to address the human rights of immigrants and to advance the cause of reparations for the historical injustices faced by the African continent and its diaspora.
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