Eleven West African nationals, including several Nigerians, have filed a lawsuit in Ghana against the Ghanaian government, claiming they are being unlawfully detained after being deported from the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration policy.
The group of 14 deportees, reportedly including citizens from Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Gambia, and Mali, was sent to Ghana on September 6, 2025. Lawyers for the suit say 11 remain in detention at Ghana’s Dema Camp under harsh conditions, while the others allegedly have been sent to their home countries.
Some of the deportees were previously granted legal protection in U.S. immigration courts due to risks of torture or persecution in their home countries. The lawsuit argues that those protections were ignored in the process of their removal.
The detainees claim they were transported via a U.S. military plane, restrained during the flight (some allegedly in straitjackets for 16 hours), and deprived of basic necessities upon their arrival. They seek a judicial order from Ghana’s High Court to block any further deportations and secure their release.
Ghanaian officials maintain the deportations were part of a “humanitarian” arrangement and deny violations of international protections. Critics argue the U.S. is using Ghana as part of a “third-country” deportation policy that risks breaching international law and asylum protections.
