A U.S. federal judge has sharply criticized the Trump administration for secretly deporting Nigerian and Gambian migrants to Ghana under a little-known agreement, accusing officials of trying to sidestep U.S. immigration laws. The 14 migrants, some of whom had legal protections against removal due to risks of torture and persecution in their home countries, were flown from a Louisiana detention center to Accra on a 16-hour flight. Lawyers alleged that several were strapped into straitjackets during the journey — a claim the Department of Homeland Security denies.
Ghana’s government confirmed receiving the deportees, sparking political backlash at home, with opposition lawmakers demanding parliamentary approval before any such international arrangement could proceed. Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered the U.S. administration to explain its actions and ensure the migrants are not returned to Nigeria or Gambia, warning that the operation appeared to be an “end run” around legal obligations.
The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, revealed that one deportee has already gone into hiding in Gambia, while four others remain in poor conditions at a military-run facility in Ghana. The Justice Department defended the move, arguing the court has no jurisdiction under a prior Supreme Court ruling allowing deportations to third countries. The case highlights growing tensions over the Trump administration’s use of third-country agreements to fast-track deportations, raising concerns about human rights and accountability.
