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.
“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 does not 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.
President Donald Trump.
