President backs US deportations

Wallace Ruzvidzo, Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has thrown his weight behind United States President Donald Trump’s decision to repatriate undocumented Zimbabwean citizens who have been staying in America illegally.

This comes as the US has intensified efforts to deport undocumented migrants, with at least 545 Zimbabweans being among the 1,4 million illegally present on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) non-detained docket.

There are thousands of Zimbabweans living or studying legally in the United States, hence the decision to soon have an e-passport facility at the Washington DC Embassy, but there are others who have overstayed a temporary visa or have managed to drift into the country without permission.

The US immigration authority was on January 22 given authority to arrest irregular migrants in or near sensitive locations including schools, churches and hospitals – places that, under the Joe Biden administration, required more steps to be taken before arrests could be initiated.

Writing on his official X account, President Mnangagwa said the recent move by the US was welcome.

“The Government of Zimbabwe supports the United States Government’s decision to repatriate and return our Zimbabwean citizens who may have been residing in the US illegally,” he said.

According to ICE, the individuals on the non-detained docket are awaiting final orders of removal, but the agency is unable to provide a list of case-specific reasons on why certain non-citizens cannot be removed.

Reasons for the delay in removals include the pursuit of relief or protection from removal, such as asylum, withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture. The US has thus, called on foreign Governments to take appropriate steps to confirm the citizenship of non-citizens suspected to be their nationals.

“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,” reads the ICE report said.

The US Government has already commenced flights transporting illegally present immigrants to their countries of origin including India, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.

Immigration teams have carried out raids to capture the undocumented migrants in the states of New York, California, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado.

According to daily statistics shared by ICE on its official X account, at least 5 000 undocumented immigrants have been detained.

Although the Trump administration has faced resistance from some citizens denouncing the repatriations, he ordered the preparation of a facility to hold up to 30 000 undocumented migrants.