President-elect Donald Trump will deport Ghanaians who have overstayed their U.S. visas as part of his much-criticized immigration reforms, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Robert P. Jackson says. Speaking to Class FM on Wednesday, Jackson confirmed that Trump’s administration is going to be more strict regarding illegal immigration and will most likely extradite all Ghanaian immigrants who have violated their visa status.
“We have a lot of Ghanaians who have overstayed their visas in the United States, and I think that they need to be concerned about whether they would be allowed to remain illegally,” Jackson explained.
The U.S. ambassador was also quick to clarify that the deportation program was first implemented during the Obama administration.
Blanket Censure?
In response to those who say that the incoming government will look to paint all Africans in the country as illegal immigrants, Jackson made it clear that the Trump administration will not target or discriminate against African citizens in America.
He added that the United States understands that different African countries have unique needs and expectations, which demand different responses from specific government organizations.
“Ghana’s economy is growing, Nigeria’s is shrinking. We have a very different relationship with Ghana. Ghana is more supportive of free trade and shares a long history of peaceful existence which Nigeria does not. So I think we need to be cautious,” he said.
Last week, the United States deported 108 immigrants, including 54 from Ghana, for a wide range of reasons, including overstayed visas.
The affected immigrants accused U.S. officials of mistreating them and handcuffing them throughout the two-day extradition journey, even though most of them were not criminals.
Tough Immigration Policies
On his campaign trail, Trump insisted on restoring integrity to America’s immigration system by prioritizing the interests of Americans first. He promised to enforce America’s immigration laws at the border and in the workplace.
The President-elect also said he will build a wall along the Mexican-U.S. border and deport all “criminal aliens” back home.
