Some Undocumented Migrants in UK Sleep Rough to Avoid Deportation

Some undocumented migrants, including Nigerians, are resorting to sleeping in public areas such as waste bins and train stations in the United Kingdom in an effort to avoid detection and deportation, according to accounts shared with Diaspora Tales.

This follows a series of enforcement actions under the UK’s toughened immigration policy. In 2025, the Home Office deported a group of asylum seekers and foreign national offenders to Nigeria and Ghana, stating they had no right to remain in the country.

A recently circulated video appears to show an African man sleeping inside a bin on a snowy street, with a passerby urging him to use a government shelter instead. Several Nigerians in the UK told Diaspora Tales that fear of arrest has driven some without legal status to leave their homes and sleep rough.

“Some people were afraid to even go to facilities provided by the UK government, thinking they might be arrested, detained, and deported,” said Mrs. Gisela Esapa, a Nigerian resident in Dunstable.

Officials note that homelessness in the UK affects people of various nationalities and is often linked to unemployment, lack of documentation, or personal circumstances. Maxwell Adeyemi, a Nigerian based in Bradford, emphasized that “being homeless in the UK has nothing to do with colour or nationality.”

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) stated that those facing homelessness after overstaying visas are “only facing the consequences of their crimes.” A NIDCOM spokesperson added the commission is typically informed only when Nigerian authorities are involved in official deportation processes.

Local councils in the UK provide temporary accommodation and support to lawful residents who are homeless. Observers stress that possessing legal status is key to accessing these services.