US Homeland Security Flags 32 Ghanaians in “Worst of the Worst” Deportation Database

By Yaw Opoku Amoako June 5, 2026

The United States Department of Homeland Security has published an online database identifying foreign nationals it describes as the most serious criminal offenders facing deportation from the country — and 32 Ghanaians are among those named.

The database, hosted by DHS and managed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, contains the names and photographs of non-citizens convicted of various offences and currently subject to immigration enforcement action.

The Ghanaian nationals listed are linked to a range of crimes including fraud, shoplifting, domestic violence, weapons-related offences, child cruelty and illegal use of credit cards.

The 32 Ghanaians form part of a broader group of at least 355 West Africans from several countries — including Liberia and Cameroon — who have been flagged for removal from the United States.

The publication arrives against a backdrop of significantly intensified immigration enforcement under the administration of President Donald Trump.

DHS data shows that 478 Ghanaians were arrested by ICE in 2025 alone, while approximately 2,470 Ghanaian nationals were being held in US detention facilities as of October 2025 — one of the highest figures on record for the country.

Between January and August 2025, 312 Ghanaians were deported to Accra, representing a 17 percent increase compared with the same period the previous year.

The surge in arrests and removals has been driven in part by two key policy measures — a Global Enforcement Initiative launched in April 2025 and an executive order issued in February 2025 that placed priority on removing individuals with criminal convictions or those deemed to pose national security risks.

US immigration authorities have noted, however, that an ICE arrest does not automatically lead to deportation, with each case subject to its own legal and administrative review process.