US Concedes to Ghana's Decision on Abrego Garcia
Accra ,Ghana – October 11,2025 - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formally accepted Ghana's refusal to receive Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who was at the center of a deportation controversy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced this development on October 10, stating that Ghana's position had been "duly acknowledged and complied with" by US authorities.
In a Facebook post, Ablakwa stated, "The Ghanaian Government is pleased to note that our refusal to accept Abrego Garcia has been duly acknowledged and complied with by the US Department of Homeland Security."
The Mahama administration had refused to accept Abrego Garcia, and the US DHS has now accepted this decision. The development comes after diplomatic efforts by the Ghanaian government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Attorney-General.
According to Ablakwa, the DHS has taken steps to inform Garcia's lawyers and amend court submissions to reflect that Ghana cannot be considered as a deportation destination for Garcia. This move also signifies a diplomatic win for Ghana, as the government had consistently maintained that it would not accept Garcia's deportation.
Abrego Garcia, a resident of Maryland with his family, was previously deported to El Salvador in March 2025 under the Trump administration over alleged links to the MS-13 gang. His lawyers have denied these allegations, and a US court had barred his removal to El Salvador due to credible fears of persecution. After being returned to the US, Abrego Garcia faced human smuggling charges in Tennessee, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Meawhile ,the Mahama administration has reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability in its dealings with international partners with Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasizing that Ghana's humanitarian policy of accepting limited numbers of non-criminal West Africans does not apply to persons from other regions or those facing criminal allegations.
Source – Lead News Online/Leticia Okpoti
