Washington DC — The Zimbabwean community in America has been rocked after 12 Zimbabwean nationals were forcibly deported back to Harare in a sudden Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation earlier this week.
Sources say the deportees, all living in various states including Texas, California, and New York, were rounded up in a coordinated sweep targeting expired visas, asylum denials, 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 TikTok and Facebook show some of the deportees boarding a chartered flight under heavy security, with family members crying and waving from behind barricades.
According to ICE officials, most had exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the US, while others had been arrested for minor offenses that triggered immigration reviews.
The news has sparked outrage online, with Zimbabweans abroad warning each other to “keep documents in order” and to avoid unnecessary encounters with law enforcement.
Back in Harare, relatives were seen waiting at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, some overjoyed to reunite with their loved ones, while others expressed anger and fear for their future.
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.”
