The United States of America has deported 642 Ghanaians
convicted of various offences, including acts that undermined border control
and the integrity of the US immigration system, in three years.
A report on the activities of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and
Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in the 2018 fiscal year said the
Ghanaians were deported between 2016 and 2018.
According to the report, 94 Ghanaians were deported from the USA in 2016.
In the year 2017, the number of Ghanaians deported from the USA witnessed an
astronomical 69.1 per cent jump to 305.
However, in 2018, the number of Ghanaians deported from the USA dropped to 243,
a decrease of 25.5 per cent.
Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) identifies, arrests and removes aliens
who present a danger to national security or a threat to public safety, or who
otherwise undermine border control and the integrity of the US immigration
system.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on the other hand, shares
responsibility for administering and enforcing the nation’s immigration laws
with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and US Citizenship and Immigration
Services.
The removal of African migrants went up – in some cases, more than doubling.
Despite a six per cent drop in overall removals, there was a significant rise
in removal of migrants from countries such as Gambia, Niger, and Senegal.
On January 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump issued an Executive Order,
Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.
It set forth the administration’s immigration enforcement and removal
priorities.
Subsequently, on February 20, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)
implementation memorandum, Enforcement of the Immigration Laws to Serve the
National Interest, provided further direction for the implementation of the
policies set forth in the Executive Order.
Together, the Executive Order and implementation memorandum expanded ICE’s
enforcement focus to include removable aliens who have been convicted of any
criminal offence, aliens charged with any criminal offence that has not been
resolved, and those who committed acts which constitute a chargeable criminal
offence.
Others are persons who have engaged in fraud or wilful misrepresentation in
connection with any official matter before a governmental agency, persons who
have abused any programme related to receipt of public benefits, those who are
subject to a final order of removal but have not complied with their legal
obligation to depart the United States, and in the judgment of an immigration
officer, otherwise pose a risk to public safety or national security.
The department continued to operate under the directive that classes or
categories of removable aliens are not exempt from potential enforcement.
Ghana, US tango over visa restrictions
Ghana and the United States of America are in a tussle over plans to deport
over 7,000 Ghanaians from the US to Ghana.
While the USA said Ghana has since 2016 not adequately co-operated to provide
travel documents for the affected persons, Ghana disagrees.
This year, the US imposed visa restrictions from February 4, 2019 as its
embassy in Accra discontinued issuing all non-immigrant visas (NIV) to domestic
employees (A3 and G5) of Ghanaian diplomats posted to the US.
Consular officers also limit the validity period and number of entries on new
tourist and business visas (B1, B2, and B1/B2) for all Ghanaian executive and
legislative branch employees, their spouses, and their children under 21 to
one-month, single-entry visas.
It said since July 2016, the US Government had engaged with the Government of
Ghana in both Washington DC and Accra on the matter without much success.
US visa sanctions on Ghana unjustified – Foreign Affairs
But, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration expressed
disappointment with the decision by the United States to implement visa
sanctions on Ghana for alleged lack of adequate co-operation in accepting
Ghanaian nationals ordered removed from the US.
It said those allegations were unfounded, and the sanctions imposed on Ghana
were without any justification.
Ghana, as a sovereign country, has the duty to, and would continue to, protect
her nationals all over the world by ensuring that appropriate processes were
undertaken in all issues relating to her citizens’ deportation from other
countries, the ministry said.
A statement issued by the ministry’s Public Affairs Directorate said the
government had always co-operated with the US authorities in the processing and
removal of Ghanaian citizens who had been cited for deportation from the US to
Ghana.
It said the Government of Ghana was worried about past experiences where
Ghanaian deportees were sent home in belly chains and physically cuffed to
their seats on the aircraft.
It, therefore, urged the US Government to recognise and ensure the deportation
processes are consistent with international best practices and national laws,
and must uphold the dignity of the people involved at all times, including
those convicted of crimes.
The statement said the ministry was assessing the situation and would institute
appropriate measures within the context of international laws and bilateral
relations between the two countries in due course.
It said in accordance with international laws, the Ghana Embassy in Washington
DC undertook identification and verification processes to ensure that all
persons earmarked for deportation to Ghana are bonafide citizens of Ghana.
Countries all over the world undertook those processes to accept their deported
citizens, and it is not peculiar to Ghana and the US situation, the statement
said.
It said the identification and verification mechanisms had stipulated timelines
and procedures, which were communicated to the deporting authorities at all
times.
Ghana issues travelling certificates to 11 in January
As of January 8, 2019, Ghana’s Mission in Washington DC had received 20
applications from the US authorities, out of which 19 had been interviewed by
the embassy and 11 travelling certificates issued for their travel back to
Ghana.
Those outstanding are as a result of doubt on their Ghanaian nationality,
ill-health, and pending litigation in US courts.
The statement said the US authorities had verbally informed the ministry that
there were about 7,000 Ghanaians who were at different stages of deportation
proceedings.
However, there has not been any confirmation by the US authorities of a final
court order for their removal in accordance with the US’ own laws.
It, therefore, expressed surprise that the US authorities would ignore the
international protocols that need to be observed in matters of deportation and
make allegations of lack of co-operation by Ghana.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday, February 1, 2019,
announced, in co-ordination with the Department of State, the implementation of
visa sanctions on Ghana due to lack of adequate co-operation in accepting her
nationals ordered removed from the United States.
It said it is in pursuant of the US authority, under Section 243 (d) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), that Secretary of Homeland Security,
kirstjen Nielsen, notified Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the Government
of Ghana had denied or unreasonably delayed accepting its nationals ordered
removed from the United States.
As a result, Secretary of State Pompeo has ordered consular officers in Ghana
to implement visa restrictions on certain categories of visa applicants.
It said without an appropriate response from Ghana, the scope of those
sanctions may be expanded to a wider population.
The sanctions would remain in place until the Secretary of Homeland Security
notifies Secretary Pompeo that co-operation on removals had been approved to an
acceptable level.
US Embassy visa restrictions
A statement issued by the US Embassy said: “It is important to note that A3 and
G5 visa applications will be processed, but no visas in these categories will
be issued while these restrictions remain in effect.”
It said the lack of adjudication did not mean a visa denial, adding that, “The
application will remain pending until the visa restrictions are lifted, at
which point the visa application will continue to be processed for issuance.”
The statement reminded countries which have signed on to the UN Convention on
International Civil Aviation that they are obligated to issue the necessary
travel documents to its citizens under deportation orders from another country.
Section 243(d) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act says when a country is
determined to be denying or unreasonably delaying accepting the return of its
nationals, the US Government institutes visa restrictions until the situation
is resolved.
It said all other consular operations at the US Embassy in Accra would continue
as normal at this time.
These visa restrictions would not affect other consular services provided,
including adjudication of applications from individuals not covered by the
imposition of the restrictions (for example, student visas).
The US values its vibrant partnership with Ghana, and remains committed to
working together with the Government of Ghana to resolve the situation, it
added.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
