A dramatic confrontation unfolded on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the VICSEM Hotel in Ogbojo, Accra, when officers from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) attempted to forcibly remove a group of deportees recently repatriated from the United States.

Eyewitnesses described the situation as chaotic and distressing, with deportees screaming for help as GIS officers sought to relocate them from the facility where they had been temporarily housed upon arrival.

Videos circulating widely on social media showed a female deportee being dragged across the floor by an immigration officer into a waiting vehicle — a scene that has sparked public outrage and condemnation.

The reason behind the forced eviction remains unclear, though sources suggest the officers were acting on orders to transfer the deportees to another location.

The individuals involved are part of a U.S.–Ghana repatriation arrangement established under former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which allows Ghana to receive its citizens deported from the United States.

Government officials have defended the policy, noting that it operates under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) — not a treaty — and therefore does not require parliamentary approval.

They further argue that the arrangement reflects Ghana’s humanitarian responsibility to reintegrate its nationals who face deportation or difficult conditions abroad.

However, the Minority in Parliament has criticised the government for what it calls a lack of transparency and constitutional oversight, accusing the administration of circumventing due process.

Public scrutiny intensified after the recent repatriation of 14 Ghanaian nationals, with opposition MPs demanding that the terms of the MoU be made public.

The issue escalated when Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that Ghana would soon receive an additional 40 West African deportees under the same arrangement, further fuelling controversy.

Prominent human rights lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, who represents some of the deportees, condemned the government’s actions, warning that Ghana risks breaching international human rights obligations.

“Many of these individuals were previously granted protection status in the U.S. due to a genuine fear of persecution,” Barker-Vormawor stated. “By accepting them, Ghana is effectively serving as an intermediary in their deportation process, which could expose the country to global condemnation.”

As public anger mounts, civil society groups are calling for an independent investigation into the conduct of the Immigration Service and greater transparency regarding the deportation agreement between Ghana and the United States.