In a move likely to stir anxiety among immigrant communities, U.S. lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5% excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. Unveiled by House Republicans on Monday, the bill targets financial transfers from U.S. residents to recipients in foreign countries. The proposed tax, while broadly impacting immigrant families, presents particular concerns for Nigeria—a nation heavily reliant on diaspora remittances. According to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso, Nigeria received \$4.22 billion through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) between January and October 2024. However, the CBN did not detail how much of that total originated from the U.S. The legislation clearly states: “There is hereby imposed on any remittance transfer a tax equal to 5 percent of the amount of such transfer.” The tax would be borne by the sender and collected quarterly by the U.S. Treasury Department. Notably, verified U.S. citizens would be exempt and could claim the tax as a credit. Remittances made via authorized providers by verified U.S. senders would also be exempt. This proposal follows a series of stringent measures under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has intensified its crackdown on immigration and expanded its hardline trade policies. In January, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) listed nearly two million undocumented immigrants for deportation. President Trump also renewed efforts to end birthright citizenship for children born to non-citizens. Trade tensions have also made headlines. On March 2, the U.S. imposed sweeping tariffs, including a 14% duty on Nigerian exports. However, relations between Washington and Beijing appear to be improving. A May 12 agreement will reduce U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China will lower its own tariffs on U.S. imports from 125% to 10%.