Ghana has agreed to accept West Africans being deported from the United States under the Trump administration’s controversial immigration policies, President John Mahama confirmed on Wednesday. The decision marks a rare instance of an African country agreeing to take in deportees from a third country, many of whom have never lived in Ghana.
“We were approached by the US to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the United States,” Mahama told reporters in Accra. “And we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable.”
According to Mahama, a “first batch” of 14 deportees has already arrived in Ghana, including “several” Nigerians who have since returned to their home countries. Another deportee arrived from The Gambia. Mahama did not provide a timeline for further arrivals, but stressed that the move was guided by regional agreements allowing visa-free travel across West Africa.
Deporting individuals to countries where they have no prior residence has been a hallmark of former President Trump’s hardline approach to undocumented immigrants. In some cases, deportees have been sent to prisons in countries like El Salvador and Panama, raising international concern.
“This policy sends people to places they may have never lived in, sometimes straight out of prison,” Mahama said. “It is not a policy we take lightly, but Ghana has agreed to assist within the framework of regional cooperation.”
Ghana has historically been home to Nigerian immigrants, though tensions have flared in recent months. Sporadic protests in Accra and other cities targeted Nigerian nationals, accusing them of contributing to rising crime rates, prostitution, and unfair economic competition. In late July, Nigeria sent a special envoy to Ghana, and officials from both countries held talks aimed at defusing tensions.
“The situation requires careful diplomacy,” Mahama said. “Our approach has been measured and guided by mutual respect with our neighbours.”
The deportation agreement comes at a sensitive time in US-Ghana relations. Washington has recently increased tariffs on Ghanaian goods and restricted visas for its nationals, putting additional pressure on Accra. Despite these challenges, Mahama described bilateral relations as “tightening, but overall positive.”
Nigeria, however, has resisted accepting third-party deportees. Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar warned that it would be “difficult for Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners” and suggested that recent US tariff threats may be tied to the deportation issue. “The US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans being deported, some straight out of prisons,” Tuggar said in an interview with Channels Television.
Trump’s deportation policy has been unprecedented in scale and scope. Hundreds of people have been sent to Panama, including individuals who had not completed asylum processes. Others have been deported to El Salvador and South Sudan under 18th-century legal provisions invoked by the US administration. Some deportees were sent even after US judges ordered the planes to turn back.
Human rights advocates have criticized the policy as inhumane, noting that many deportees have no connection to the countries where they are sent. “This is a blunt instrument of immigration control that disregards basic human rights,” said Lydia Mensah, a Ghana-based immigration lawyer. “People are being uprooted from lives they’ve built in the US and sent to countries they barely know.”
For Ghana, the decision represents a complex balancing act. On one hand, it aligns with regional cooperation agreements and demonstrates a willingness to work with international partners. On the other, it carries domestic political risks, particularly given recent anti-immigrant sentiment.
Analysts suggest that Ghana’s move may also be influenced by practical considerations. Accepting a limited number of deportees may help Accra maintain leverage in negotiations with Washington over trade, visas, and development aid.
“This is not an easy decision, but Ghana has a responsibility to uphold regional solidarity while managing its own domestic interests,” said Kwame Boateng, a political analyst in Accra. “It’s a tightrope, but one that Mahama appears prepared to walk carefully.”
While only a small number of deportees have arrived so far, the policy is likely to remain controversial both domestically and internationally. Human rights organizations and regional bodies will be watching closely to ensure that the rights and dignity of deportees are respected.
“We are committed to handling this responsibly,” Mahama said. “Our priority is to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and returned safely to their home countries where appropriate, while maintaining regional harmony and cooperation.”
As the first batch settles in Ghana, the international community will be looking to see how this policy unfolds, and whether other West African nations will follow suit. Meanwhile, the United States continues to face scrutiny over its third-country deportation program, which has drawn criticism from human rights groups worldwide.
