Ghana has become the first West African nation to openly acknowledge receiving deportees from the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Fourteen migrants arrived in Accra this week, President John Mahama confirmed, describing the arrangement as consistent with regional travel rules.
The group, which included Nigerians and Gambians, intends to return to their home countries, Mahama told reporters on Wednesday evening. He explained the basis for Ghana’s acceptance of the migrants, citing the Economic Community of West African States’ free movement policy.
“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 said.
The development highlights the Trump administration’s push to secure deals with African governments to take in people expelled from the U.S., a strategy that has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and immigration lawyers. Trump, now serving his second term, has doubled down on his pledge to remove immigrants he labels overstayers or criminals.
Critics argue that the deportation agreements violate international norms and expose migrants to further abuse. In Eswatini, for example, five men sent back in July have been kept in a maximum-security prison without charge or access to legal aid for more than seven weeks, according to their lawyers.
Human rights advocates also stress that many of the African nations cooperating with Washington have a record of silencing dissent and targeting political opponents.
In July, Trump met with leaders from Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Gabon to press them to accept U.S. deportees. Nigeria, however, resisted, saying African states were facing “significant pressure” to comply with the U.S. government’s demands.
Mahama did not clarify whether the 14 people who arrived in Ghana had any criminal history. But he underscored that their entry was in line with regional agreements.
“West Africa has a protocol of free movement. Any West African is welcome in Ghana,” he said.
