Namibian embassy in US still in the dark about deportees
Namibian embassy officials in the US have yet to be contacted by US authorities regarding details of a group of Namibians reportedly included on a list of people purportedly identified for deportation, according to international relations ministry executive director, ambassador Penda Naanda.
This follows a nationwide immigration crackdown in the US, spearheaded by US president Donald Trump since his inauguration.
The immigration crackdown is reportedly expected to impact 19 Namibians in the coming days.
Information reportedly released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the US indicates that those on the deportation list, dated November 2024, totalling 1.4 million people, including the 19 Namibians, are on their final warning for removal.
Speaking to Namibian Sun from Washington DC yesterday, Namibian ambassador to the US, Margaret Mensah-Williams said: “We have received pertinent information regarding the ongoing situation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to our communication, ICE will continue its standard process, which involves requesting travel documents from missions if needed for individuals with final orders of removal who have no impediments to their removal from various countries for any country concerned as is the standard.”
She added: “Additionally, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has advised all embassies to disregard the so-called Trump deportation list, clarifying that ICE did not issue this document. Therefore it’s not valid.”
No information
In a telephone interview with Namibian Sun on Wednesday, Naanda confirmed said Namibia has not been provided with more details of affected Namibians, including their ages or genders.
“We also do not know if they were in any full-time or contractual employment and in which states they were living,” he added.
He explained that once US officials contact the embassy, the mission will verify whether these individuals are indeed Namibian nationals or if they are foreign nationals falsely claiming to be Namibians. The embassy will then proceed to assist with their return home.
“We cannot dictate who they deport and who they do not. Just like Namibia, they have rules. We also do the same when someone is illegally in our country,” Naanda said.
He added that the Namibian officials, as law-abiding citizens, will not interfere with the internal policies of the United States and will await official communication.
Naanda added that, like everyone else, they have only seen the reports on social media so far.
Since Trump took over this month, a number of federal agencies with newly expanded detention powers were involved in the raids in a number of cities, including Chicago, Newark and Miami, BBC reports.
Trump came to power after making mass deportations of undocumented immigrants a central campaign promise.
- [email protected]
This follows a nationwide immigration crackdown in the US, spearheaded by US president Donald Trump since his inauguration.
The immigration crackdown is reportedly expected to impact 19 Namibians in the coming days.
Information reportedly released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the US indicates that those on the deportation list, dated November 2024, totalling 1.4 million people, including the 19 Namibians, are on their final warning for removal.
Speaking to Namibian Sun from Washington DC yesterday, Namibian ambassador to the US, Margaret Mensah-Williams said: “We have received pertinent information regarding the ongoing situation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to our communication, ICE will continue its standard process, which involves requesting travel documents from missions if needed for individuals with final orders of removal who have no impediments to their removal from various countries for any country concerned as is the standard.”
She added: “Additionally, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has advised all embassies to disregard the so-called Trump deportation list, clarifying that ICE did not issue this document. Therefore it’s not valid.”
No information
In a telephone interview with Namibian Sun on Wednesday, Naanda confirmed said Namibia has not been provided with more details of affected Namibians, including their ages or genders.
“We also do not know if they were in any full-time or contractual employment and in which states they were living,” he added.
He explained that once US officials contact the embassy, the mission will verify whether these individuals are indeed Namibian nationals or if they are foreign nationals falsely claiming to be Namibians. The embassy will then proceed to assist with their return home.
“We cannot dictate who they deport and who they do not. Just like Namibia, they have rules. We also do the same when someone is illegally in our country,” Naanda said.
He added that the Namibian officials, as law-abiding citizens, will not interfere with the internal policies of the United States and will await official communication.
Naanda added that, like everyone else, they have only seen the reports on social media so far.
Since Trump took over this month, a number of federal agencies with newly expanded detention powers were involved in the raids in a number of cities, including Chicago, Newark and Miami, BBC reports.
Trump came to power after making mass deportations of undocumented immigrants a central campaign promise.
- [email protected]
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