US Deportations Hit 169 Ghanaian Nationals Since January as 120 More Await Determinations — Ablakwa
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has delivered a firm briefing to Parliament, announcing that 169 Ghanaians have been forcibly removed from the United States since January 2025, while an additional 120 remain in legal limbo as they await final immigration determinations.
Addressing the House on Thursday, November 20, the Minister disclosed that 388 Ghanaian citizens have been detained by US authorities this year on immigration grounds, a development he described as troubling and reflective of broader systemic issues.
“From January to date, 388 of our nationals have been held in US custody on immigration-related charges. Of this number, 120 are still before the Board of Immigration Appeals awaiting judgment, and 49—having exhausted every legal avenue—are only awaiting deportation logistics,” he stated.
He further revealed, “A total of 169 Ghanaians have already been deported. Ninety were returned via commercial flights without escort, while sixty-six were transported on heavily monitored chartered flights under the supervision of ICE operatives.”
Ablakwa also clarified that Ghana has not solicited—nor accepted—any financial inducements, logistical assistance, or material concessions from the United States in connection with these deportations, pushing back against insinuations of transactional arrangements.
Responding to probing questions from legislators about what benefits Ghana was receiving, he delivered a pointed reply:
“The Government of Ghana has not requested a single dollar, any logistical facilitation, or any form of material support. Our engagement is based strictly on humanitarian principles and the protection of African dignity.”
He underscored that Ghana’s position is anchored in deep ideological conviction.
“We are Pan-Africanists. These are fellow West Africans who are distressed, detained, and in many cases subjected to degrading treatment. As the nation of Kwame Nkrumah, we cannot avert our eyes. We are compelled—morally and politically—to stand up for the dignity of African people everywhere.”
Source: Clara Seshie
