Trump says over 33% of Nigerian immigrants in US depend on public benefits
US President Donald Trump released a list detailing welfare rates among immigrants, highlighting that approximately 33.3% of Nigerian immigrant households in the United States receive some type of public assistance.
This chart was posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform on January 4, 2026, during an ongoing Republican emphasis on immigration, welfare dependency, and discussions regarding economic contributions in US domestic politics.
Titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” the chart encompasses around 114 nations and territories, illustrating the number of households that obtain various forms of public support, including food assistance, healthcare benefits, and more.
Among the nations with the highest reported welfare rates, the top 10 include 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%.
Conversely, 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%.
In addition to the welfare statistics, the Trump administration implemented expanded travel bans and immigration restrictions regarding who may enter the United States and under what circumstances. A presidential proclamation issued in June 2025 established full and partial travel bans on foreign nationals from several countries identified as security threats, citing concerns related to terrorism, inadequate identity document systems, and insufficient cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement. Full bans prohibited all visa issuance and entry for citizens of 12 countries, while partial restrictions limited specific visa categories such as tourist, student, and exchange visas for nationals of seven additional countries.
In late December 2025, the White House released a revised proclamation that extended these policies into 2026 and broadened the list to encompass 39 countries, which will face either full or partial restrictions starting January 1, 2026. The countries newly classified under the full ban category include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, with individuals traveling on Palestinian Authority travel documents also being prohibited. The partial restrictions have been expanded to cover Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, among others, which will impact access to immigrant visas and various common non-immigrant visa categories such as F (students), M (vocational students), and J (exchange).
The Trump administration has enacted a series of changes to immigration policies that indicate a more stringent approach to both legal and irregular migration, which includes enhanced vetting and enforcement measures across various areas. In July 2025, the U.S. made significant revisions to its visa policies for Nigerians. The Department of State implemented more restrictive conditions for non-immigrant visas, limiting most categories to single-entry permits valid for only three months. This change replaced the former system that permitted multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years and was presented as part of a larger initiative to align global travel standards with U.S. security requirements.
These modifications to visa enforcement are part of a broader crackdown that encompasses extensive immigration actions. Reports indicate that the Trump administration revoked approximately 85,000 visas in 2025, a number that reflects the implementation of expanded review criteria and stricter enforcement priorities aimed at foreign visitors and students.
