The Tanzanian Embassy in the United States has confirmed that 24 people, believed to be Tanzanian nationals, are being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for living in the country without proper documents.

Out of these, four individuals have completed all legal procedures and are set to be deported soon. The remaining 20 are still going through the immigration process.

In response to questions from Mwananchi, the embassy said they had not yet received exact details on when the deportations would take place. However, they were asked to provide travel documents for two of the four individuals facing deportation. This suggests that the process could happen at any time.

According to US immigration laws, anyone staying in the country illegally must be deported.

A report from ICE, dated 24 November 2024, showed that 1,445,549 undocumented immigrants from different countries were marked for deportation. Among East African nations, Kenya had the highest number (1,282), followed by Burundi (462), Uganda (393), Rwanda (338), and Tanzania (301).

The embassy clarified that deported Tanzanians would not be restricted from traveling to other countries. However, under US immigration laws, they will need to wait ten years before they can apply for a visa to return to the US.

Upon arriving in Tanzania, deportees will be received by the Immigration Department. After completing the necessary procedures, they will be free to continue their lives as Tanzanian citizens.

The embassy also reassured cooperation with US authorities to confirm the citizenship of those detained and to issue travel documents if needed. They reminded Tanzanians that staying in any country without legal documentation is against the law.

Kelvin Nyamori, the Director of Tanzania’s Diaspora Office, mentioned on 4 February 2025 that deportation could be more complicated for those who used false identities to obtain refugee status. Some people misuse the system to gain documents from other countries, which may make their deportation process more difficult.

He explained that every country has immigration laws, and Tanzanians should not falsely claim to be refugees since Tanzania does not face war or major crises. If someone entered the US under a different identity, it could create legal challenges during deportation.

Nyamori urged Tanzanians to follow proper immigration rules and ensure they have valid documents when traveling abroad.