Eleven individuals, recently deported from the United States to Ghana, have initiated a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government, accusing it of illegally detaining them in a military camp. These deportees, none of whom are Ghanaian but hail from various West African nations, were part of a group initially comprised of 14 people. Their plight highlights the confusing aftermath of a "third country deportation" agreement between the US and Ghana, which has sparked significant controversy and legal scrutiny.

The deportations began under an arrangement sanctioned by the Trump administration, which allows the US to deport immigrants to third countries. This policy was upheld by the US Supreme Court in July, despite facing intense opposition and legal challenges arguing that it exposes migrants to potential harm and bypasses domestic accountability measures.

In Ghana, the deportation agreement has been fiercely criticized, especially by the parliamentary minority party, which has demanded a halt to what it deems an unconstitutional agreement. Samuel Abu Jinapor, a prominent member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized that implementing this agreement without Ghana’s parliament's approval blatantly violates the nation’s constitution, specifically citing Article 75.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, has defended the decision, stating that it was made out of humanitarian concern and Pan-African solidarity, not as an endorsement of US policies. However, there are insinuations that economic motives might influence this stance, particularly the hope of having US travel restrictions on Ghanaians lifted.

This legal battle in Ghana coincides with another lawsuit filed by the deportees in the United States last month. They claim they were forcibly taken from an immigration facility, restrained in straitjackets, and transported to Ghana on a cargo plane without proper notice or a hearing—a procedure that raises serious human rights concerns.

The unfolding situation raises critical questions about the legality and morality of international deportation agreements and the protection of migrant rights under such arrangements. The Ghanaian government now faces both internal and external pressures as it navigates the complex and often contentious landscape of international immigration policy.