ACCRA, Oct 10 (The African Portal) – Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has denied reports that the country will accept Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national targeted for deportation by the United States.
International media outlets reported on 10 October that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) planned to deport Abrego Garcia to Ghana, according to a notice sent to his lawyers. Earlier, DHS had reportedly considered deporting him to Eswatini or Uganda.
In a Facebook post, Mr Ablakwa said Ghana had “directly and unambiguously” informed US authorities that it would not receive Abrego Garcia.
“Ghana is not accepting Abrego Garcia. He cannot be deported to Ghana,” the minister wrote. “Our understanding to accept a limited number of non-criminal West Africans, purely on the grounds of African solidarity and humanitarian principles, will not be expanded.”
He said the government’s agreement with the US applied only to non-Ghanaian West Africans who are not criminals and was based on humanitarian considerations.
The government has recently faced criticism for agreeing to receive some West African nationals deported by the US.
Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025, despite a 2019 US court order preventing his removal due to fears he would face gang-related persecution. US authorities later admitted the deportation was an “administrative error” and returned him to the US in June 2025 under court orders.
After his return, he was indicted in Tennessee on human smuggling charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers argue that the charges are retaliatory, linked to his deportation lawsuit, which a US judge has allowed to proceed.
Abrego Garcia’s asylum request has been denied, but he retains the right to appeal.
