Fourteen migrants deported from the United States arrived in Ghana this week, making the country the first in West Africa to publicly confirm a deal to take in deportees under the Trump administration’s controversial policy.
President John Mahama revealed this to the media on Wednesday night, indicating that the arrivals included Nigerians and Gambians who intended to continue on to their home countries. He explained that Ghana had agreed to accept the group because of regional travel rules.
“We agreed with (Washington) that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West African nationals don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama stated.
READ ALSO: Ghana’s role in Africa’s future: Alan Kyerematen calls for bold leadership on integration
The decision comes as President Donald Trump, now in his second term, intensifies efforts to deport immigrants he has branded as overstayers or criminals. His administration has sought deals with several African nations to take in migrants expelled from the U.S., sparking legal and human rights concerns.
Rights lawyers argue that the practice is unlawful and warn that it leaves migrants exposed to harsh treatment. In Eswatini, five men deported in July have been confined in a maximum-security prison for weeks without charges or legal access, their attorneys said.
Advocacy groups note that most of the countries approached by the U.S. government share troubling records on civil liberties, with opposition voices frequently targeted.
Trump hosted leaders from Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Gabon in July to gauge whether they would accept deportees. Nigeria, the country of origin for many of the expelled migrants now in Ghana, had resisted, saying African governments were under “significant pressure” from the Trump-led government to comply.
READ ALSO: Ghana needs global vision – Alan Kyerematen teases 2028 presidential bid
Mahama did not specify whether the 14 deportees in Ghana had criminal backgrounds, but he emphasized that the regional bloc allows free movement.
“West Africa has a protocol of free movement. Any West African is welcome in Ghana,” he said.
