A total of 2,470 Ghanaian nationals are currently on the United States of America (USA) deportation list and being held in detention facilities across the country awaiting removal, according to new figures released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and cited in a news report by myjoyonline.com on October 12, 2025.
The figure, according to the news report, represents one of the highest numbers on record for Ghana and reflects the widening reach of the Trump administration’s stricter immigration enforcement policies.
The report detailed that the DHS data shows that 478 Ghanaians have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025 alone, a rise linked to the Global Enforcement Initiative, a policy launched in April to accelerate deportations across multiple regions.
Between January and August 2025, 312 Ghanaians were deported from the US to Accra, marking a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Officials say most deportees were removed for criminal convictions, immigration violations or visa overstays.
The current rate represents one of the steepest year-on-year increases in nearly a decade.
Between 2018 and 2023, annual deportations of Ghanaians typically ranged between 200 and 250.
188 Ghanaians on President Trump’s deportation list – Okudzeto Ablakwa
On August 28, 2025, a DHS-chartered flight arrived at Kotoka International Airport carrying 42 Ghanaian nationals, the latest in a series of repatriation operations organised by the US immigration authorities.
The flights form part of efforts to clear a growing backlog of deportation cases in ICE custody.
The report also explained that the current spike in arrests and removals stems from two key policy changes.
First, the Global Enforcement Initiative expanded ICE’s global deportation operations and secondly, a February 2025 executive order directed authorities to prioritise the deportation of individuals with criminal histories or those flagged as national security threats.
However, rights advocates argue that the measures cast too wide a net, ensnaring long-term residents, low-level offenders and overstayers who have lived in the US for years.
ICE has defended its actions, insisting that all removals follow due legal process and court orders.
Migration analysts warn that the rising deportation rate could place significant strain on Ghana’s limited reintegration systems. Projections suggest that if current trends persist, nearly 500 Ghanaians could be deported by the end of 2025, the highest total in over a decade.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) says it is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior to enhance reception procedures and ensure deportees are treated with dignity upon arrival.
Under Section 241(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, individuals may be deported to their home country, the last country they departed from or any country willing to accept them.
AM/SEA
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