Some 545 Zimbabweans might be deported from America as newly inaugurated President, Donald Trump's administration cranks up its fight against illegal immigrants.
The Zimbabweans add to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) list of 1,445,549 noncitizens who were delegated for removal last November.
Trump's return to office has seen American authorities intensifying raids on immigrants across the country, with over 500 illegals being detained daily.
His 'America First' mantra has seen him cut off billions in government spending on third-world Africa and initiated a round of deportations whose end seems not yet in sight.
Zimbabwe's 545 citizens appeared on a list that had 379 South Africans, 174 Zambians, 15 Mozambicans and only 12 BaTswana.
All of these are on its non-detained docket.
"ICE works to remove undocumented noncitizens from the United States once they are subject to final orders of removal in a timely manner," read a statement from the ICE.
The statement urged countries to receive their citizens, a day after Colombia refused a US plane carrying 201 of its deported citizens, authority to land. A tiff which followed the move, in which Trump threatened sanctions, has since been resolved according to media reports.
Added the statement: "The U.S. Government believes every country is obligated to accept the return of its citizens and nationals who are ineligible to remain in the United States.
"Lack of cooperation from the foreign government delays and, in many cases, inhibits the removal process.
"The US Government requests foreign governments take appropriate steps to confirm the citizenship of noncitizens suspected to be their nationals, which include conducting interviews, issuing travel documents in a timely manner, and accepting the physical return of their nationals by scheduled commercial or charter flights consistent with ICE and/or foreign government removal guidelines.
"Lack of cooperation from countries in accepting the return of their nationals may lead to ICE classifying those countries as uncooperative or at-risk of non-compliance."
According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2021, over 80,000 Zimbabweans were living in America.
Most, if not all, moved there for better opportunities as compared to Zimbabwe's waning market.
Tens of thousands more have fled Zimbabwe for Europe, Canada, parts of Asia, New Zealand and Australia.