Accra: A controversial U.S. deportation program that sent non-citizen African migrants to Ghana has triggered legal battles, human rights concerns, and conflicting accounts between governments and lawyers representing deportees.

Earlier this month, 14 migrants 13 from Nigeria and one from Gambia  were flown from the United States to Ghana, despite none of them being Ghanaian citizens. Reports from advocacy groups and court filings allege that the men were restrained, some in straitjackets, and transported on a military cargo plane for nearly 16 hours with little food or water. Upon arrival, they were detained in what lawyers describe as squalid conditions at a camp in Ghana’s Volta Region.

The U.S. government has defended the arrangement as part of broader efforts to enforce immigration laws, while Ghanaian authorities insist they accepted the deportees on humanitarian grounds and in line with West Africa’s visa-free regional framework. Ghana’s president John Mahama stated that the decision was not an endorsement of U.S. policy but a gesture of solidarity within the region.

However, the situation has sparked confusion. Ghana’s government says all 14 deportees have since left for their home countries, but lawyers for several men claim that at least four remain in detention in Ghana. The discrepancy has fueled criticism over transparency and accountability.

Legal challenges are now underway in the United States. Five deportees have filed a lawsuit alleging violations of U.S. immigration law and international agreements, including the Convention Against Torture. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has questioned whether the deportations are being used to bypass court orders and protections against returning migrants to countries where they could face persecution.

Human rights groups warn that some deportees face grave risks if sent back to their countries of origin. One Gambian man, reportedly bisexual, fears persecution if forced to return home.

The case highlights broader concerns over “third-country deportations,” where migrants are expelled not to their home nations but to other countries willing to accept them. While such deals may ease enforcement pressure for the U.S., critics argue they undermine due process, place vulnerable individuals at risk, and create diplomatic tensions.

As the legal battle continues, questions remain over the future of the program, the status of those still in Ghana, and the potential expansion of similar deportation arrangements across Africa.