Trump says over 33% of Nigerian immigrants in US depend on public benefits

US President Donald Trump shared a list showing welfare rates among immigrants, noting that about 33.3% of Nigerian immigrant households receive some form of public assistance in the United States.

The chart was shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on January 4, 2026, amid continued Republican focus on immigration, welfare dependency, and economic contribution debates in US domestic politics.

The chart, titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” covers approximately 114 nations and territories, showing the number of households that receive some form of public support, such as food assistance, healthcare benefits, and others.

Among the countries with the highest reported welfare rates, the top 10 are Bhutan – 81.4%, Yemen – 75.2%, Somalia – 71.9%, Marshall Islands – 71.4%, Dominican Republic – 68.1%, Afghanistan – 68.1%, Congo – 66.0%, Guinea – 65.8%, Samoa (1940–1950) – 63.4%, and Cape Verde – 63.1%.

The top 10 countries with the lowest percentage of immigrant households receiving assistance are Bermuda – 25.5%, Saudi Arabia – 25.7%, Israel/Palestine – 25.9%, Argentina – 26.2%, South America (unspecified) – 26.7%, Korea – 27.2%, Zambia – 28.0%, Portugal – 28.2%, Kenya – 28.5%, and Kuwait – 29.3%.

Alongside the welfare statistics, the Trump administration expanded travel bans and immigration restrictions on who is allowed into the United States and under what conditions. Initially, a June 2025 presidential proclamation imposed full and partial travel bans on foreign nationals from a range of countries deemed security risks, citing terrorism concerns, poor identity document systems, and inadequate cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement. Full bans blocked all visa issuance and entry for citizens of 12 countries, while partial restrictions limited certain visa categories such as tourist, student, and exchange visas for nationals of seven others.

Late in December 2025, the White House issued an updated proclamation extending these policies into 2026 and expanding the list to 39 countries with either full or partial restrictions effective January 1, 2026. New countries added to the full ban category included Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, and individuals travelling with Palestinian Authority travel documents were also barred. Partial restrictions were expanded to include Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, among others, affecting access to immigrant visas and many common non‑immigrant visa categories such as F (students), M (vocational students), and J (exchange).

The Trump administration has implemented a series of immigration policy changes that signal a tougher stance on both legal and irregular migration, including enhanced vetting and enforcement measures across multiple fronts. In July 2025, the U.S. significantly revised its visa policies for Nigerians. The Department of State introduced more restrictive terms for non‑immigrant visas, limiting most categories to single‑entry permits with just three‑month validity. This replaced the previous system that allowed up to five‑year multiple‑entry visas and was framed as part of a broader effort to align global travel standards with U.S. security requirements.

These visa enforcement changes are part of a wider crackdown that includes broader immigration actions. Reports show that the Trump administration revoked roughly 85,000 visas in 2025, a figure reflecting expanded review criteria and stricter enforcement priorities targeting foreign visitors and students.

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