2,470 Ghanaians in U.S. ICE Custody Awaiting Deportation

A total of 2,470 Ghanaian nationals are currently being detained in various facilities across the United States, awaiting deportation, according to recent data released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This marks one of the highest figures on record for Ghana and reflects the growing impact of the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement policies.

Sharp Rise in Arrests and Deportations

The DHS report indicates that 478 Ghanaians were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in 2025 alone, representing a sharp increase linked to the Global Enforcement Initiative — a policy introduced in April aimed at expediting deportations worldwide.

Between January and August 2025, 312 Ghanaians were deported to Accra, a 17% rise compared to the same period in 2024. DHS officials stated that most of those deported were removed due to criminal convictions, immigration violations, or visa overstays.

Historically, annual deportations of Ghanaians between 2018 and 2023 ranged from 200 to 250, making this year’s figures among the steepest increases in nearly a decade.

On August 28, 2025, a DHS-chartered flight arrived at Kotoka International Airport carrying 42 deported Ghanaians, the latest in a series of repatriation flights aimed at reducing the growing backlog in U.S. detention centers.

Policy Shifts Behind the Surge

Officials attribute the record-high removals to two key policy changes:

1. The Global Enforcement Initiative (April 2025), which expanded ICE’s operational reach across multiple regions.
2. A February 2025 executive order prioritizing deportations for individuals with criminal histories and those considered national security threats.

However, human rights advocates have criticized the measures, arguing that they cast too wide a net — affecting long-term residents, overstayers, and minor offenders who have lived and worked in the U.S. for years.

ICE, however, maintains that all deportations are conducted in accordance with due process and court orders.

Diplomatic and Humanitarian Implications

Under Section 241(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, deportees may be returned to their home country, their last point of departure, or another nation willing to accept them.

Migration analysts warn that the increasing number of returnees will strain Ghana’s reintegration systems, which already face resource limitations.

“If current trends persist, Ghana could receive nearly 500 deportees by the end of 2025 — the highest figure in more than ten years,” one expert noted.

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) says it is collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen arrival procedures and ensure deportees are treated with dignity and respect.

A Growing Challenge

The surge in deportations underscores a wider global trend of tightened immigration controls. For many detained Ghanaians — some of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades — the fear of forced return has become a daily reality.

As of now, 2,470 Ghanaians remain in ICE detention, awaiting final decisions that will determine whether they return home voluntarily or through enforced deportation.

This rising wave of deportations poses both diplomatic and humanitarian challenges for Ghana and the United States, highlighting the complex consequences of global migration enforcement amid increasing political and border pressures.