A U.S. federal judge has questioned the Trump administration’s decision to deport Nigerian and Gambian migrants to Ghana, warning that the move may have deliberately sidestepped U.S. immigration laws.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, based in Washington, D.C., held an emergency hearing on Saturday, September 13, 2025, after lawyers for the migrants argued that their clients expected to be returned to their home countries — where they feared torture or persecution.
“These are not speculative concerns. The concerns are real enough that the United States government agrees they shouldn’t be sent back to their home country,” Judge Chutkan said, suggesting the arrangement appeared designed “to make an end run” around U.S. legal protections.
Ghana Agrees to Accept Deportees
As part of former President Donald Trump’s broader immigration strategy, the U.S. arranged to send some migrants to “third countries” in an effort to speed up removals and discourage illegal migration.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama confirmed this week that his government had reached an agreement with Washington and had already received 14 deportees from West Africa.
Judge Chutkan has since ordered the U.S. government to submit a report by 9 p.m. EDT explaining how it intends to prevent Ghana from transferring the migrants onward to Nigeria or Gambia.
Allegations of Mistreatment
A lawsuit filed on Friday claims that five migrants were taken from a Louisiana immigration detention center, shackled, and placed on a U.S. military aircraft without being told where they were being sent.
The complaint also alleges that several migrants were kept in straitjackets for 16 hours during the flight, raising serious concerns about human rights violations.
Wider Implications
The case has put a spotlight on the legality and morality of third-country deportation deals. While the Trump administration argued that such agreements were necessary to enforce immigration rules, critics say they expose vulnerable migrants to grave risks.
The outcome of Judge Chutkan’s review could influence how the U.S. handles deportation partnerships in the future.
