Ghana has become the first West African nation to accept deported migrants from the United States, with 14 West African nationals, including Nigerians and one Gambian, already processed through Accra, President John Dramani Mahama announced on Wednesday.
The move aligns with the U.S. government’s intensified immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump, which targets undocumented migrants for deportation to third countries.
Speaking at a press conference at the Jubilee House, Mahama explained that Ghana’s decision is rooted in its commitment to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocols, which allow visa-free travel for West African nationals.
“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals being removed from the U.S., and we agreed that West African nationals were acceptable because our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama said.
He noted that the 14 deportees, comprising mostly Nigerians and one Gambian, have been facilitated to return to their home countries, with Ghana serving as a transit hub.
Mahama did not specify a limit on the number of deportees Ghana would accept, emphasizing the country’s regional obligations under ECOWAS, which permits West Africans to stay for up to 90 days without visas.
The arrangement comes amid heightened U.S. efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, with Ghana joining Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan as African nations accepting deportees.
In recent months, the U.S. has sent five individuals to Eswatini, eight to South Sudan, and seven to Rwanda under similar agreements.
In July, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar rejected similar U.S. requests to accept third-country deportees, citing national security and economic concerns, highlighting a contrast in regional responses.
The U.S. has been pressing African governments to participate in its deportation strategy, with reports suggesting increased tariffs and visa restrictions as leverage.
Mahama acknowledged that U.S.-Ghana relations remain positive despite these pressures.
The Ghanaian government has not disclosed whether the deportees had criminal records, a detail often emphasized in Trump’s immigration rhetoric.
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