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The United States Embassy in Accra has explained the 63 Ghanaians deported from the US to Ghana Wednesday morning was based on the orders of an immigration judge. “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed 63 Ghanaian nationals to Ghana and 12 Liberian nationals to Liberia in accordance with their final orders of removal,” the Embassy said in a statement.

Most of the deportees were handcuffed as they disembarked from the chartered flight on Wednesday. The deportees, according to the US Embassy, were found to be either “ineligible to remain in the United States for reasons including overstaying their visas or committing crimes”.

The statement clarified that the removal exercise was carried out by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as mandated by law, stating ” They were ordered removed by an immigration judge”. An order of removal, also known as an order of deportation, is a legal and enforceable order of expulsion from the United States and the suspension from returning to the U.S. for a specific amount of time.

Read the full statement issued by the US Embassy

On Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed 63 Ghanaian nationals to Ghana and 12 Liberian nationals to Liberia in accordance with their final orders of removal. All those removed were found ineligible to remain in the United States for reasons including overstaying their visas or committing crimes while in the United States. They were ordered removed by an immigration judge. As mandated by law, ICE carried out their lawful removal orders.

It is the policy of the U.S. government to attempt to have individuals under removal orders return to their home countries by flying on regular commercial flights. ICE Air Operations conducts special charter flights to accommodate certain individuals, including those who failed to cooperate with efforts to remove them via commercial flights. The U.S. Embassy works to facilitate the legitimate travel of international visitors to the United States. The proper use of visas by Ghanaians and the quick repatriation of deportees contribute to our ability to facilitate Ghanaians’ future travel to the United States.

We are grateful to the Government of Ghana and the Embassy of Ghana in the United States for their support in facilitating the return of these Ghanaian nationals.