News / National
12 Zimbabweans deported from the US
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The Zimbabwean community in the United States has been shaken after 12 nationals were forcibly deported to Harare earlier this week in a sudden Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.
According to sources, the deportees, who lived in states including Texas, California, and New York, were rounded up in a coordinated sweep targeting expired visas, denied asylum applications, and alleged immigration violations.
The names of the deported Zimbabweans have been confirmed as:
Tafadzwa Mupfumi - Dallas, TX
Rutendo Chigova - Atlanta, GA
Tinashe Dube - Los Angeles, CA
Nyasha Mutsvairo - Chicago, IL
Farai Chirenje - Houston, TX
Samantha Mhlanga - New York, NY
Kudakwashe Mupandawana - Miami, FL
Blessing Zvidzai - Philadelphia, PA
Ropafadzo Jiri - San Diego, CA
Leroy Mugari - Phoenix, AZ
Melody Chivasa - Boston, MA
Takudzwa Mhaka - Las Vegas, NV
Videos circulating on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook show the deportees boarding a chartered flight under heavy security, while family members wept and waved from behind barricades.
ICE officials stated that most of those deported had exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the United States, while some had been arrested for minor offenses that triggered immigration reviews.
The operation has sparked outrage online, with Zimbabweans abroad urging one another to "keep documents in order" and avoid unnecessary encounters with law enforcement.
At Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, relatives waited anxiously for the returnees. Some were overjoyed at being reunited, while others expressed anger and uncertainty about what the future holds.
One returnee, speaking anonymously after landing, said: "I left Zimbabwe because I had no opportunities — now I’m back with nothing. This is the hardest day of my life."
According to sources, the deportees, who lived in states including Texas, California, and New York, were rounded up in a coordinated sweep targeting expired visas, denied asylum applications, and alleged immigration violations.
The names of the deported Zimbabweans have been confirmed as:
Tafadzwa Mupfumi - Dallas, TX
Rutendo Chigova - Atlanta, GA
Tinashe Dube - Los Angeles, CA
Nyasha Mutsvairo - Chicago, IL
Farai Chirenje - Houston, TX
Samantha Mhlanga - New York, NY
Kudakwashe Mupandawana - Miami, FL
Blessing Zvidzai - Philadelphia, PA
Ropafadzo Jiri - San Diego, CA
Leroy Mugari - Phoenix, AZ
Melody Chivasa - Boston, MA
Takudzwa Mhaka - Las Vegas, NV
Videos circulating on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook show the deportees boarding a chartered flight under heavy security, while family members wept and waved from behind barricades.
The operation has sparked outrage online, with Zimbabweans abroad urging one another to "keep documents in order" and avoid unnecessary encounters with law enforcement.
At Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, relatives waited anxiously for the returnees. Some were overjoyed at being reunited, while others expressed anger and uncertainty about what the future holds.
One returnee, speaking anonymously after landing, said: "I left Zimbabwe because I had no opportunities — now I’m back with nothing. This is the hardest day of my life."
Source - online
