Key points
- Advocacy groups have filed a case against Ghana at the ECOWAS Court on behalf of 27 migrants deported from the United States.
- The applicants argue they were removed despite having legal protections in the US and were returned to countries they had fled.
- The groups are seeking at least $100,000 in compensation for each deportee and greater transparency over Ghana’s agreement with the US.
- The lawsuit also aims to prevent Ghana and other ECOWAS countries from accepting future third-country deportation arrangements.
Main story
A coalition of advocacy organisations has filed a case against Ghana before the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), challenging the country’s acceptance of migrants deported from the United States under the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
According to a statement issued by the groups, the application was filed on behalf of 27 deportees who were among at least 60 people sent to Ghana beginning in September 2025.
The Trump administration has described the third-country deportation programme as part of its broader strategy to curb illegal immigration and strengthen border security.
The applicants contend that many of the deportees had been granted legal protections in the United States but were nevertheless removed within hours or days of arriving in the countries from which they had originally fled.
They also allege that some migrants became stranded in third countries without the resources to continue their journeys.
Reuters reported that it was unable to immediately obtain comments from ECOWAS or the Government of Ghana.
Beatrice Njeri, a litigator with the Global Strategic Litigation Council representing the deportees, said the legal action was intended not only to challenge Ghana’s role but also to discourage other ECOWAS member states from entering into similar deportation arrangements.
Njeri said the applicants are seeking compensation of at least $100,000 for each deportee, in addition to other forms of reparations.
The advocacy groups said many of the deportees now fear for their safety and that most are either in hiding in their home countries or sheltering in third countries.
The lawsuit also seeks to compel Ghana to disclose the terms of its agreement with the United States and prevent the country from accepting additional deportees under the arrangement.
The filing comes amid growing scrutiny of third-country deportation programmes.
A report published in February by Democratic members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the total cost of such removals remained unclear. It noted that more than $32 million had been transferred directly to five countries involved in the programme, including $7.5 million to Equatorial Guinea.
The issues
The case raises broader questions about the legality of third-country deportation agreements, particularly where deportees claim to have held legal protections in the country carrying out the removal. It also highlights growing concerns over transparency, due process and the responsibilities of countries that agree to receive deported migrants.
What’s being said
“The aim is to discourage other ECOWAS members from entering into similar deals with the Trump administration.” — Beatrice Njeri, Global Strategic Litigation Council
What’s next
The ECOWAS Court will determine whether to hear the case, while Ghana is expected to respond to the allegations. The outcome could influence how West African countries approach future third-country deportation agreements.
Bottom line
The lawsuit challenges Ghana’s role in the US deportation programme and could become an important legal test of third-country migration arrangements in West Africa.
