The United States government has rescinded its plan to deport Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Ghana following firm resistance from Ghanaian authorities.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on Friday that the US Department of Homeland Security has formally acknowledged Ghana’s refusal and is taking steps to amend legal documents to reflect a change in Garcia’s deportation destination.
The reversal followed extensive discussions with US authorities during which Ghana made clear it would not accept Garcia’s deportation, as such an arrangement was not covered under any existing agreement between the two countries. The case had sparked widespread concern among Ghanaians who feared the US might exploit deportation agreements to send foreign nationals with no connection to Ghana.
“We are pleased to note that our refusal to accept Abrego Garcia has been duly acknowledged and complied with by the US Department of Homeland Security,” Ablakwa stated in a social media post on October 11, 2025.
The minister added that DHS has taken appropriate steps to inform Garcia’s lawyers and amend court submissions to reflect that Ghana cannot be an option for his deportation. He emphasized that the Mahama administration remains committed to protecting Ghana’s sovereignty and acting in the best interests of its citizens.
Garcia, who has been at the center of a complex deportation saga, was previously deported to El Salvador in March 2025 in what US authorities later acknowledged was an administrative error. He was returned to the United States in June 2025 following court orders and has since been indicted in Tennessee on human smuggling charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The Department of Homeland Security had initially notified Garcia on Thursday that it planned to deport him to Ghana, sparking immediate pushback from Ghanaian officials. The agency later told his attorneys that the notice was premature, signaling a retreat from the controversial plan.
Ablakwa had made Ghana’s position unambiguous in earlier statements, saying the country was not accepting Garcia and that this had been directly conveyed to US officials. In his interactions with American authorities, the minister made clear that Ghana’s cooperation on legitimate deportation matters would not extend to accepting nationals from third countries.
The development has brought relief to many Ghanaians who expressed concern on social media and in public discourse about the implications of such a precedent. Critics had questioned why Ghana would accept a Salvadoran national with no apparent ties to the country, particularly one facing serious criminal allegations.
The case forms part of US President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which has seen aggressive deportation efforts targeting individuals with alleged gang affiliations or criminal records. However, the administration’s approach has faced legal challenges and diplomatic resistance from various countries unwilling to accept deportees who are not their nationals.
Ghana maintains a deportation agreement with the United States that covers Ghanaian nationals being returned from America, but officials have made clear this does not extend to accepting third country nationals. The government’s firm stance in this case demonstrates its willingness to assert sovereignty on immigration matters despite pressure from a major diplomatic partner.
Ablakwa stressed that the Mahama administration will continue to be transparent and truthful to Ghanaians at all times regarding such sensitive matters. The successful resistance to the deportation plan is likely to be viewed as a diplomatic victory for the government.
The minister’s statement did not specify where Garcia might ultimately be deported, and US authorities have not publicly announced an alternative destination. Legal proceedings surrounding Garcia’s case are ongoing in American courts.
