US-Ghana Deportation Deal by Maham Govt Challenged in Court
A civil rights group challenges the US-Ghana deportation deal. The group, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, filed a new lawsuit. They accuse the Trump administration of unlawfully deporting migrants. This action bypasses protections from US immigration judges. The lawsuit claims officials secretly flew non-citizens to Ghana. Then, they expelled them to their home countries. This occurred despite fears of persecution or torture.
The suit states officials know they cannot directly deport non-citizens to countries with fear-based protection. Therefore, they used Ghana’s government to perform this “dirty work.” Court filings show officials removed five plaintiffs from a Louisiana detention center on September 5. Officials placed them on a US military cargo plane for a 16-hour journey. They held some in straitjackets. Officials did not tell them their destination until hours into the flight.
Upon arrival in Accra, officials transferred them to a remote, open-air detention camp. The suit described the conditions as “squalid.” Armed guards surrounded the camp, known as Dema Camp. For this reason, plaintiffs said they had no chance to raise fears of persecution. Ghana was never a designated removal country during their proceedings. For example, one plaintiff, K.S., had received protection because of his sexuality. In spite of this, officials deported him from Ghana. He was sent to The Gambia on September 10. Consequently, he remains in hiding for fear of his life. Four others—D.A., T.L., I.O. and D.S.—remain in Ghana. Officials have told them they will be removed to their home countries. This migrant agreement has proven highly controversial.
President John Dramani Mahama confirmed the US-Ghana deportation deal this week. He stressed that Ghana was only a temporary transit point. Moreover, the plaintiffs argue their removal violates the Immigration and Nationality Act. They also allege it violates the Convention Against Torture. Finally, they cite a violation of their Fifth Amendment due process rights. Therefore, they have asked a judge to order their immediate return. They also seek to block any further removals. The lawsuit names several US government officials as defendants.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
