A total of 478 Ghanaian nationals have been arrested across the United States this year by officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), signalling one of the most aggressive enforcement actions against Ghanaians in recent years.
The arrests form part of a wider sweep under ICE’s expanding deportation programme, which has placed 2,470 Ghanaians in detention awaiting removal to Ghana, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
312 Ghanaians deported so far in 2025
Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shows that between January and August 2025, some 312 Ghanaian nationals were deported to Accra—a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The number marks a sharp deviation from previous years, when deportations of Ghanaians averaged between 200 and 250 annually.
According to DHS officials, the removals were primarily due to criminal convictions, visa overstays, and immigration violations.
On August 28, 2025, a DHS-chartered flight carrying 42 Ghanaians landed at Kotoka International Airport.
The deportees were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ministry of the Interior, which are responsible for post-arrival verification and reintegration processes.
Global enforcement initiative behind the surge
The sharp rise in deportations has been traced to the “Global Enforcement Initiative”, a policy expansion launched by DHS in April 2025 that intensified international deportation operations.
The initiative followed a February 2025 executive order that prioritised the removal of individuals with criminal records, repeat immigration offenders, or those deemed national security threats.
However, advocacy groups in both the United States and Ghana argue that the broadened enforcement has swept up many long-term residents, including overstayers, low-level offenders, and asylum seekers whose cases are still under review.
Migration analysts warn that if the current rate of deportations continues, Ghana could receive close to 500 deportees by the end of 2025—the highest in more than a decade.
Experts say this influx could strain Ghana’s already weak reintegration systems.
Most returnees arrive without savings, identification, or social support, leaving them vulnerable to poverty, stigma, and re-migration pressures.
Ghana’s obligations under international law
Under Section 241(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, the U.S. government has broad discretion to remove deportees to their home country, the country they last boarded a flight from, or any nation willing to accept them.
Families in Ghana brace for more returns
Families of Ghanaians living in the United States say they are increasingly anxious about the wave of arrests.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy in Washington, D.C. have urged families to use official channels to trace relatives through ICE’s online detainee locator system, while promising consular support for those facing removal.
A rising test for Ghana-U.S. relations
The surge in deportations and visa restrictions which had been lifted added a new layer of complexity to Ghana–U.S. diplomatic relations, traditionally anchored in cooperation on trade, security, and migration.
As flights continue to arrive with deported nationals, Ghana faces a growing challenge—balancing its international obligations with domestic realities of reintegration, dignity, and economic survival.
For the 478 Ghanaians currently under ICE arrest and the 2,470 others awaiting deportation, the journey home is not just about returning to Ghana—it is about whether their country is prepared to welcome them back with humanity and justice.
