Abrego Garcia not covered by US deal on non-criminals – Ablakwa
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has dismissed reports suggesting the country will accept Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national facing deportation from the United States.
International media outlets claimed on 10 October 2025 that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had notified Garcia’s legal team of plans to deport him to Ghana. Previous proposals had included Eswatini and Uganda.
In a Facebook post, Mr Ablakwa made it clear that Ghana would not receive Garcia, stating that this position had been “directly and unambiguously conveyed to US authorities.”
“Our agreement with the United States to accept non-Ghanaian West Africans is strictly limited to non-criminals and based solely on humanitarian grounds and African solidarity. Ghana is not accepting Abrego Garcia. He cannot be deported to Ghana,” Mr Ablakwa wrote.
The minister also criticised what he described as “misleading media reports,” reaffirming that Ghana’s stance on the matter would not change.
Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025, despite a 2019 U.S. court ruling that protected him from removal due to credible threats of gang-related persecution. US authorities later admitted the deportation was an “administrative error” and returned him to the United States in June 2025 under court orders.
Upon his return, Garcia was indicted in Tennessee on human smuggling charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
His legal team argues the charges may be retaliatory, citing the timing and context of his deportation lawsuit.
A judge has allowed his legal challenge to proceed and although his asylum request was denied, he retains the right to appeal.
