United States President, Donald Trump, has said that about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households in the country depend on one form of public assistance or another.
Trump disclosed this in a chart he shared on his Truth Social platform on January 4, 2026, as debates over immigration, welfare dependency and economic contribution continued to dominate domestic politics in the US.
The chart, titled Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin, showed welfare usage among immigrant households from about 114 countries and territories, covering benefits such as food assistance, healthcare support and other public programmes.
According to the data, Nigerian immigrants fell slightly above the global average, with about one in three households receiving public assistance. The chart listed countries such as Bhutan, Yemen and Somalia among those with the highest welfare dependency rates, while immigrants from Bermuda, Saudi Arabia and Argentina recorded some of the lowest figures.
The disclosure comes amid a broader tightening of US immigration policies under the Trump administration, which has expanded travel bans and imposed stricter entry conditions on several countries.
In June 2025, the White House announced full and partial travel restrictions on foreign nationals from multiple countries, citing security concerns, weak identity management systems and poor cooperation with US immigration authorities.
The measures were extended in December 2025, with the list expanded to 39 countries and the restrictions taking effect from January 1, 2026.
Nigeria was among countries placed under partial restrictions, limiting access to certain immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories, including student and exchange visas.
The administration has also reviewed visa policies for Nigerians, introducing more restrictive non-immigrant visa terms in 2025 by reducing most permits to single-entry visas with three-month validity.
Reports further indicated that about 85,000 visas were revoked in 2025 as part of intensified enforcement, reflecting the administration’s tougher stance on both legal and irregular migration.
