By Lizzy Chirkpi
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has defended the tightening of immigration restrictions affecting Nigerians, citing concerns over document fraud, poor record-keeping and corruption, which it says have undermined the reliability of official records used in immigration processes.
The agency made the claims while explaining its decision to suspend the processing of certain immigration benefit requests from citizens of Nigeria and 38 other countries designated as high-risk under recent US immigration measures.
Speaking before the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island, USCIS Deputy Director Angelica Alfonso-Royals said the agency’s actions were in compliance with immigration proclamations issued by US President Donald Trump in December 2025 and January 2026.
According to her, the temporary restrictions were introduced as part of broader efforts to address concerns relating to national security, terrorism and public safety.
Alfonso-Royals told the court that the credibility of official records from Nigeria remains a significant challenge for US immigration authorities tasked with verifying applicants’ identities and personal histories.
“Nigerian documents also have limited credibility due to corruption,” she said.
She further alleged that official records are frequently manipulated and, in some cases, created years after the events they are intended to document.
“In Nigeria, it is common for government officials to falsify records. Furthermore, Nigerian birth and death registrations rarely happen at the time of the event and often only occur when needed, which can be years later,” Alfonso-Royals stated.
The USCIS deputy director also raised concerns about the registration and documentation of marriages and divorces in the country.
“Many Nigerian marriage and divorce events are not recorded in formal government databases. When they are, record-keeping is poor to non-existent,” she added.
The remarks formed part of the US government’s defence of its enhanced immigration screening measures, which affect nationals from countries considered to pose elevated risks relating to identity verification and security vetting.
The restrictions have sparked concern among affected communities, particularly Nigerians seeking immigration benefits, educational opportunities, employment-based visas and family reunification pathways in the United States.
Nigeria has historically ranked among the leading African countries in terms of student enrolment, professional migration and family-based immigration to the United States. As a result, any tightening of visa and immigration policies often carries significant implications for thousands of applicants and their families.
While US authorities maintain that the measures are necessary to strengthen immigration integrity and national security, the latest comments by USCIS officials are likely to reignite debate over the accuracy of the characterisation of Nigeria’s record-keeping systems and the broader impact of the restrictions on legitimate travellers and prospective immigrants.
The Nigerian government has yet to issue an official response to the latest remarks by the USCIS official.