15 Kenyans set for deportation as US labels them 'worst of the worst'

Fifteen Kenyan nationals are facing deportation from the United States after being identified by federal authorities as among the “worst of the worst.”

The individuals were arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Kenyans, now labelled “criminal aliens,” have convictions ranging from driving under the influence to kidnapping.

DHS highlighted the arrests as part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing deportation efforts.

“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 said in a statement.

The arrests took place across multiple states, including Colorado, Texas, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Utah, Massachusetts, Washington, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.

Their alleged crimes include violent offences, domestic violence, fraud, drug-related offences, assault, aggravated assault with weapons, kidnapping, racketeering, and other serious criminal activity.

ICE data from January, immediately after Trump returned to office, indicated that 1,282 Kenyans were among 1.4 million immigrants on the US deportation list as of November 24, 2024.

The total number of Kenyans deported so far is unclear. The current list includes Kenyans alongside other nationalities.

The size of Kenya’s population in the United States is not precisely known. However, the International Organisation for Migration estimated in 2020 that about 157,000 Kenyans live in the US, based on United Nations data.

The US remains the leading destination for Kenyan migrants, followed by the United Kingdom, which hosts approximately 139,000 Kenyan migrants.

Deportations have been a central feature of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

Public records show ICE removed nearly 200,000 individuals in the first seven months of Trump’s latest term, putting the agency on track for its highest annual deportation numbers in over a decade. Including voluntary repatriations and other agencies’ actions, total removals could reach 350,000 by the end of the year.

Kenyans are among several communities closely monitored by US immigration authorities.

DHS’ “Worst of the Worst” programme focuses on non-citizens with criminal convictions, especially serious or violent offences, aiming to protect public safety and enforce immigration laws.

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The agency also uses these operations to signal that no immigrant group is exempt from enforcement if criminal records exist.

At the same time, human-rights groups caution that large-scale sweeps may catch individuals who pose little risk, particularly when conviction records are unclear or not independently verified.

All 15 Kenyans remain in ICE custody pending deportation. DHS said the goal is to remove “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.