Executive order by US president on Africa? Affects Nigeria
Introduction
Yes, there is an executive order from President Donald Trump that affects Nigeria, though it is not specifically targeted at Nigeria alone. On his first day in office as the 47th President of the United States, Trump signed several executive orders related to immigration, including one that impacts Nigerian immigrants.
Details of Executive order
The executive order, which is set to take effect on February 20, 2025, introduces significant changes to the immigration process for Nigerians and citizens of other countries. Here are the key points:
Citizenship by birth
The order aims to deny citizenship documentation to children born in the US to mothers who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas. For a child born in the US to be granted American citizenship, at least one parent must be a US citizen or a legal permanent resident (green card holder).
Visa restrictions
While the order does not ban short-term visitors from Nigeria for business or tourism, it suspends entry into the United States for Nigerian nationals seeking permanent residency.
Rationale
The White House statement cites Nigeria’s alleged non-compliance with “established identity-management and information sharing criteria” as the reason for these restrictions. The administration claims that Nigeria does not adequately share public safety and terrorism-related information necessary for US national security.
It’s important to note that this executive order has already faced legal challenges.
A coalition of civil rights and civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, have sued President Trump over the new executive order on American birthright citizenship.
US - Nigeria relationship
The impact of this order on Nigeria-US relations and the Nigerian diaspora in the United States could be significant. It may affect family reunification efforts and potentially reduce remittances to Nigeria, which were estimated at about $24 billion annually. Additionally, it could have implications for the development of closer economic ties between the United States and Nigeria, which is considered one of Africa’s largest economies.
Conclusion
As with many executive orders, this one may face further legal scrutiny and potential modifications in the coming weeks and months.
