(GHANA) The United States 🇺🇸 has stepped up the removal of third-country immigrants to African states, and Ghana became the newest destination this month, accepting a group of 14 migrants flown in on September 5, 2025. Officials and lawyers say several on the flight had no ties to Ghana and carried active U.S. court orders that barred removal to their home countries. Ghana’s president, John Mahama, confirmed on September 10 that his government reached an agreement with Washington and said Accra had already helped some deportees continue on to Nigeria and The Gambia.
Rights groups and defense attorneys described the flight as part of a wider policy push by President Trump’s administration to deport people to countries other than their own, even when judges had paused removal. Detainees described being restrained for the 16-hour journey, some in straitjackets, and said they were never told where they were going. At least five of the 14 were from Nigeria and The Gambia, according to people who met the group after landing in Accra. Ghanaian officials said the Nigerians were helped to return home, and the Gambian national was still receiving help.
Regional expansion and partner countries
The move places Ghana at the center of a fast-developing deportation program that has already touched Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan in 2025.
- Eswatini: Took in small groups and, according to legal filings, agreed to accept up to 150 people in exchange for $10 million. Five men sent in July were held at the Matsapha maximum security complex.
- Rwanda: Agreed in June to receive up to 250 migrants with promises of training, healthcare, and shelter; seven arrived in mid-August.
- South Sudan: Accepted groups from Myanmar and Vietnam in May despite court orders that tried to stop removals.
These arrangements vary in promises and practice, and many details remain undisclosed by the U.S. government and receiving states.
Legal landscape and recent court rulings
The legal ground under this program is shifting rapidly.
- On April 18, 2025, a U.S. federal judge ordered the government to:
- Give written notice before any third-country removal.
- Allow people to claim protection under the UN Convention Against Torture.
- On June 23, 2025, the Supreme Court stayed that order while the case continues, allowing deportations to proceed for now.
Since the stay, lawyers report people are still moved with little warning, sometimes transferred among several detention centers before being flown overseas.
The core legal question: can the U.S. send a person to a country they have never lived in — especially when a U.S. judge has blocked removal to their homeland?
Defense attorneys and advocates say the current environment denies basic due process and risks sending people to harm, while DHS argues the program targets people with criminal records and is within the law.
DHS position and transparency concerns
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says the government is acting within the law and focusing on people with criminal records.
- DHS public statements this year said immigrants who commit crimes should expect to be sent to third countries such as Eswatini or South Sudan.
- The department has not disclosed the full list of partner countries or the criteria for deciding where each person is sent.
Defense lawyers counter that:
– Some deportees had no charges at all.
– Some were detained upon arrival in Africa despite lacking connections to the receiving country.
– International law forbids sending people to places where they may face torture or serious harm.
How the transfers are carried out — reports from detainees
People close to the September 5 flight described a fog of secrecy and harsh treatment:
- Detainees said they were moved between U.S. facilities for weeks with no clear reason before being driven to an airport at night.
- Reports include shackling to metal fixtures and, in one case, being fixed to a shipping container ahead of removal.
- Some were restrained in straitjackets for the 16-hour flight.
- On arrival, some were placed in holding cells and questioned; others waited on the tarmac while officials decided next steps.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the Ghana transfer — though small — sets a template for similar flights as Washington seeks more partners. Bilateral deals can promise anything from short-term shelter and medical checks to pathways for resettlement or transit, but many terms are hidden from public view.
Legal challenges and due-process questions in Ghana and regionally
In Ghana, attorneys are preparing challenges that could test regional and constitutional law.
- Legal arguments include that accepting third-country immigrants without clear legal status could breach constitutional protections and international obligations.
- Lawyers note some arrivals were restrained in ways unlawful under Ghanaian law.
- The government insists its aim is to offer transit or short-term support, not indefinite detention, but critics demand clear legal standards and access to counsel.
Elsewhere in the region:
– In Eswatini, attorneys asked the High Court whether the government can receive noncitizens and hold them in high-security prisons without charges.
– In Rwanda, groups continue to raise concerns about safety and abuse risks for people sent there from the U.S.
Numbers and demographics
Border figures help explain enforcement pressure:
- U.S. records show 58,462 people from African countries were stopped at the southern border in fiscal year 2023, up from 13,406 in 2022.
- The biggest national groups came from Mauritania, Senegal, Angola, and Guinea.
- Advocacy data cited by attorneys indicates Black migrants comprise 5.4% of the undocumented population but 20.3% of those facing removal because of convictions.
Program scale so far:
– Over the past two months, at least 20 people have been deported to different African countries under the program, according to advocates and court records.
– Some were held in maximum-security wings despite facing no charges; others were released after short interviews with little support.
Human impact — cases from the Ghana flight
Stories from the September 5 flight illustrate the personal toll:
- A Nigerian father who fled debt and threats said a judge had stopped his removal to Nigeria while he pursued protection, yet he was moved between U.S. detention centers and flown out without notice. In Accra, he contacted a cousin, received help from Ghanaian officials, and later traveled by bus to Lagos.
- Others on the flight had no family in the region and faced immediate uncertainty about housing, money, and legal help.
Local responses included:
– Church groups and migrant networks offering food, shelter, and help with travel documents.
– Community concern about receiving people from far away when public services are already strained.
Regional and diplomatic implications
The policy raises broader questions for West Africa’s free-movement system and U.S.-Africa relations:
- If third-country deportations continue, countries may see more people in transit with unclear status, requiring decisions about short stays versus long-term accommodation.
- Some African governments appear to accept deportees in exchange for aid or support, prompting concerns about reputational damage.
- Diplomats are managing the fallout while court cases proceed on both continents.
- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has offered assistance in several countries, but details for affected individuals are often unclear.
Practical advice for families and detainees
Lawyers and advocates offer practical steps to prepare for sudden moves:
- Keep copies of court orders, receipts, and attorney contact details on the person in detention.
- Families should agree on a communication plan with numbers outside the United States.
- If someone is taken to a third country:
- Contact local legal aid organizations.
- Reach out to international organizations that can help arrange safe transit or short-term housing.
- Maintain clear records — they can make a real difference during sudden moves.
Transparency, next steps, and where to watch for updates
DHS defends continued enforcement and says third-country transfers deter crossings and help carry out removal orders. However:
- The department has not published a comprehensive policy or list of partner countries.
- Uncertainty about case-selection criteria, rights to challenge a transfer, and remedies in receiving states fuels more court challenges.
For official updates on enforcement and removal policy, the Department of Homeland Security maintains public guidance and notices on its website. The agency’s page offers general explanations of removal processes and statements from leadership about current priorities. People with family members in detention, or attorneys tracking developments, can check the Department of Homeland Security’s site for announcements and policy statements. The official resource is here: Department of Homeland Security.
Further updates are expected soon.
This Article in a Nutshell
In September 2025 Ghana received 14 migrants deported from the U.S. under a growing third-country removal program that also involved Eswatini, Rwanda and South Sudan earlier in the year. Several on the Ghana flight reportedly had no ties to the country and held active U.S. court orders that barred removal to their home states. Reports describe transfers carried out with little notice, harsh restraints on a 16-hour flight, and opaque bilateral terms that sometimes include financial or logistical incentives. A federal judge required written notice and access to UN Convention Against Torture claims in April, but the Supreme Court stayed that order in June, allowing transfers to continue while litigation proceeds. Rights groups and attorneys allege due-process violations and potential risks of abuse; receiving states and U.S. authorities offer differing accounts. Legal challenges in Ghana and regionally may test constitutional and international obligations as diplomatic and humanitarian concerns grow.
