At least six West African migrants have been deported from Ghana to Togo after being expelled from the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, their lawyers confirmed on Tuesday.
Lawyers representing the deportees revealed that a total of eleven migrants had filed a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government to prevent further deportation. However, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the legal representatives, told the Human Rights Division of the Ghana High Court that some of the migrants were removed from the country over the weekend while the case was still pending.
“One was released to a relative in Ghana, while six were confirmed to have been sent to Togo,” Barker-Vormawor told AFP. “The rest were probably sent to Togo as well. But we haven’t been able to establish contact with them.”
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The deportation process has been clouded in secrecy as lawyers, human rights advocates, and journalists attempt to monitor the rapid pace of deportations ordered by the Trump administration and their reception by third countries. Authorities have yet to disclose the exact dates of the deportees’ arrival in Ghana or details of their detention.
The migrants, who were from Nigeria, Togo, Mali, Liberia, and Gambia, were expelled to Ghana in early September. However, reports of their arrival surfaced only about a week later.
According to PUNCH, Last week, Ghanaian lawyers filed a case demanding the release of their clients, arguing that the migrants were being unlawfully detained. According to the legal team, many of the deportees had valid deportation protection orders from US immigration authorities.
“All of these people were seeking asylum in the US, and they’ve made clear that they were facing persecution—whether in connection with religious reasons, political, and even on the basis of their sexual orientation,” Barker-Vormawor said.
Controversy Over US-Ghana Deportation Deal
The United States has expanded its controversial practice of deporting migrants to third countries rather than their nations of origin. Hundreds have already been sent to detention facilities in El Salvador, raising human rights concerns.
The Ghana deportations are believed to have begun in early September, with more expected in the coming weeks. The deal between Washington and Accra was reportedly reached at a time when Ghana faced pressure from the US, including higher tariffs and visa restrictions.
After Ghanaian President John Mahama confirmed that an initial group of 14 deportees had arrived, officials announced they would be allowed temporary stay under regional visa-free travel agreements or return to their countries of origin. However, the announcement drew criticism from opposition groups, who argued that parliament had not been informed of the agreement.
Adding to the confusion, authorities initially claimed that all 14 migrants had returned home. But according to Barker-Vormawor, only three had gone back to their home countries, leaving eleven in Ghana.
Court filings from US-based lawyers revealed that one Gambian deportee had been repatriated. Identified as bisexual, the man is now “in hiding and fears for his life” in Gambia, where same-sex relationships are criminalised.
The remaining eleven deportees included four Nigerians, three Togolese, two Malians, one Liberian, and one Gambian, according to legal documents.
Poor Conditions And Rising Deportations
Some of the deportees alleged that the detention conditions in Ghana, reportedly under military guard, were “abysmal.” A Nigerian national said he fled his country after being tortured by security forces, noting that he is married to a US citizen.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that the country is preparing to receive another 40 deportees in the coming days. He emphasised that Ghana’s decision to accept the migrants was based on humanitarian grounds, stressing that it was not an “endorsement” of US immigration policies.
Barker-Vormawor, however, said that more deportees had already begun arriving in Ghana last week, intensifying concerns among human rights defenders.
