Ghana has welcomed its first group of West Africans deported from the United States. The move aligns with the Trump administration’s strategy to remove immigrants to third countries, even when they have few ties there.
President John Mahama confirmed on Wednesday that 14 individuals, including several Nigerians and one Gambian, arrived in Accra this week. Ghanaian authorities helped them travel onward to their home countries.
“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals,” President Mahama said at a press briefing. “We agreed that West African nationals were acceptable.” He added that under ECOWAS, West Africans can move freely across borders without visas.
The president did not specify how many deportees Ghana might accept in the future. “West Africans don’t need a visa anyway,” he added, explaining the decision.
Context and Regional Reactions
Deporting immigrants to countries where they have no family or legal connections has become a feature of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy. The U.S. previously sent deportees to South Sudan and Eswatini, even after courts ordered some flights to return.
The Ghana arrangement comes amid domestic tensions. Despite hosting a large Nigerian community, protests erupted in several cities this summer. Demonstrators accused Nigerian migrants of crime and economic competition. In July, Nigeria sent a special envoy to Accra to restore calm. Officials from both countries worked to ease tensions.
The deal also coincides with strains in U.S.-Ghana relations. Washington recently raised tariffs on some Ghanaian exports and restricted visas for its nationals. President Mahama described relations as “tightening” but still fundamentally positive.
Nigeria, however, has resisted similar requests. “The U.S. pressures African countries to accept Venezuelans, some straight out of prisons,” Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said in July. “Nigeria cannot accept Venezuelan prisoners.” He suggested U.S. tariff threats might relate to deportation issues.
The Trump administration has pushed U.S. deportation policy boundaries in other regions, sending people to Panama and El Salvador under rare 18th-century legal provisions. Critics argue these actions strip migrants of due process, while the administration says they deter unlawful immigration.
Credit: Nairametrics
