ACCRA, Ghana — Eleven West African nationals deported from the United States have been sent from Ghana to their home countries despite warnings they faced serious risks if returned, their lawyer told a Ghanaian court on Tuesday.
The U.S. deported 14 West African immigrants to Ghana under disputed circumstances earlier this month. While authorities initially said all had been released, deportees later told the Associated Press that 11 of them were being held at a Ghanaian military facility. Those 11 launched a legal challenge last week, seeking release and protection from further deportation.
Eight of the migrants testified that they had legal grounds to remain in Ghana, arguing they were at risk of torture, persecution, or inhumane treatment if sent back. But lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor told the court at a virtual hearing Tuesday that the group had already been removed over the weekend.
“We have to inform the court that the persons whose human rights we are seeking to enforce were all deported over the weekend,” Barker-Vormawor said. “This is precisely the injury we were trying to prevent.”
The deportations come amid mounting criticism of the U.S. removal program and growing scrutiny of Ghana’s role in facilitating the transfers, despite legal challenges and safety concerns raised on behalf of the deportees.