Trump administration deported West Africans to Ghana against legal orders

Ghana has become another African nation to receive deported individuals from the United States. Recently, 14 West Africans, comprising 13 Nigerians and one Gambian, were sent back to Ghana. Lawyers representing these individuals claim that they face significant risks of persecution and torture upon their return to their home countries, a situation that raises serious legal and human rights concerns. Some of the deportees reportedly had legal protections that prohibited their return due to fear of harm in their home countries. The U.S. government has increasingly been deporting individuals facing legal challenges in their immigration proceedings by sending them to third countries like Ghana. This controversial tactic aims to sidestep immigration laws that prevent deportation to countries where individuals may encounter danger or persecution. Critics argue that such agreements represent an attempted circumvention of U.S. laws protecting vulnerable individuals. Ghana's foreign minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa explained that his country accepted the deportees on humanitarian grounds and emphasized that no financial compensation was received from the U.S. for their acceptance. Concerns were raised both domestically and internationally regarding Ghana's decision, with opposition lawmakers voicing alarm over the implications for Ghana’s sovereignty and foreign policy. The legal representatives of the deported individuals filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, arguing that the deportations constitute a clear violation of duties to ensure the safety and rights of migrants. Given the current situation and the responses from various stakeholders, the implications of these deportations on U.S.-African relations and human rights protections continue to unfold, prompting significant scrutiny from activists and legal experts alike.