Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has strongly denied reports that the country will receive Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national targeted for deportation by the United States.
International media reports on October 10, 2025, indicated that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) planned to deport Abrego Garcia to Ghana, citing a notice issued to his legal team. Earlier, DHS had reportedly considered deporting him to Eswatini or Uganda.
In a Facebook post responding to the reports, Minister Ablakwa described the claims as “misleading” and emphasised that Ghana has not agreed—and will not agree—to receive the Salvadoran.
“Ghana is not accepting Abrego Garcia. He cannot be deported to Ghana. This has been directly and unambiguously conveyed to U.S. authorities,” Ablakwa stated.
He clarified that Ghana’s agreement with the U.S. to accept certain non-Ghanaian West Africans is strictly limited to non-criminals and rooted in humanitarian considerations and African solidarity.
“Our understanding to accept a limited number of non-criminal West Africans, purely on the grounds of African solidarity and humanitarian principles, would not be expanded,” he stressed.
The government has faced criticism in recent months over the quiet acceptance of some West African nationals deported by the U.S., raising questions about the scope of the bilateral arrangement.
Abrego Garcia’s case has attracted international attention. He was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a 2019 U.S. court order shielding him from removal due to credible threats of gang persecution. U.S. authorities later admitted the deportation was an “administrative error” and returned him to the U.S. in June following a court directive.
Shortly after his return, he was indicted in Tennessee on human smuggling charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. His legal team claims the charges are retaliatory, linked to his deportation lawsuit. A U.S. judge has since allowed his legal challenge to proceed, while his asylum request has been denied but remains under appeal.
Minister Ablakwa’s firm statement is aimed at quelling speculation and reaffirming Ghana’s position in its diplomatic engagement with the U.S.
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