US Ambassador to Ghana has dismissed claims the deported Ghanaians from his country were maltreated.
Robert P. Jackson said, “The 63, who returned recently, arrived in a chartered flight, refused to board a civilian aircraft and return voluntarily. I do not consider the conditions under which they were returned inhumane.”
Mr. Jackson explained to the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament those affected were deported unwillingly as they had attempted to resist being deported.
He stressed: “They were fed; they had some freedom of movement on the flight. It is not as if they were chained to their seats.”
He added the deportees are being sent home for various offences, ranging from drug possession, larceny, assault, theft, sexual assault, identity theft, illegal entry, forgery/fraud, resisting arrest and other non-criminal offences.
He confirmed, “It is true that 7,000 Ghanaians who have overstayed their visas or are staying in the US illegally are in various stages of the deportation processes.”
He added, “There will be additional deportations because the 7,000 people who are under deportation orders have either committed crimes in the United States or long overstayed the visas on which they entered.”
Mr. Jackson stressed the US is welcoming and accommodating to all Ghanaians who use legal means to enter the country and abide by the laws of the country.
U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to deport illegal immigrants with criminal records as part of his immigration laws to be rolled out.
