U.S. ICE Names Ghanaian Nationals in ‘Worst of the Worst’ Deportation Campaign Alongside Surrounding Legal Debates

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ACCRA — The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have publicized specific details regarding several Ghanaian nationals targeted for removal under the agency's high-profile "Worst of the Worst" enforcement campaign. The initiative, which publicly highlights the arrests and deportations of non-citizens, focuses heavily on individuals categorized by U.S. authorities as having committed serious or violent offenses.


According to official data released by ICE, the named Ghanaian nationals face a range of charges spanning multiple states. The individuals and the specific offenses listed by U.S. immigration enforcement include:

  • Edward Sarpong (Arrested in Charleston, South Carolina): Burglary and selling synthetic narcotics.

  • Paul Dayah (Arrested in Houston, Texas): Sexual assault, drug possession, and drug trafficking.

  • Joseph Amegah (Arrested in Burlington, Massachusetts): Assault and fraud via false statements.

  • Lily Aiphonsis Majdoub (Arrested in Elk River, Minnesota): Fraud.

  • Emmanuel Darko (Arrested in Saint Clairsville, Ohio): Possession of a weapon, fraud, and identity theft.

  • Martin Obeng Darko Berchie (Arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota): Sexual offense.

  • Charles Sokpa-Anku (Arrested in Sterling, Virginia): Fraud (swindle).

  • Emmanuel Lamptey (Arrested in Nashville, Tennessee): Identity theft.

  • Mohammed Mustapha (Arrested in Saint Louis, Michigan): Extortion.

  • Emmanuel Haruna (Arrested in Laredo, Texas): Assault and alien smuggling.



The Broader Scope of U.S. Removals

While the public relations aspect of the "Worst of the Worst" campaign emphasizes violent crime, a closer look at the data shows that U.S. immigration enforcement has cast a much wider net. Independent tracking and reports indicate that recent deportation flights have included individuals with non-violent financial convictions, such as check forgery or identity theft, as well as undocumented individuals with expired visas or final removal orders who possess no criminal record.



The U.S.–Ghana Bilateral Framework and Legal Backlash

These targeted deportations are taking place under a highly controversial bilateral agreement between the United States and Ghana. Under this third-country repatriation framework, the U.S. government has operated charter flights to transport both Ghanaian citizens and other West African nationals—including individuals from Nigeria, Togo, and the Gambia—directly to Ghana.

The arrangement has drawn sharp criticism from legal advocates and international human rights organizations. Multiple lawsuits filed in U.S. federal courts allege that the operations have unlawfully swept up individuals who had previously been granted humanitarian protections, such as withholding of removal under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT). Advocates argue that deporting these individuals places them at immediate risk of persecution or bodily harm upon return.



Furthermore, the domestic processing and temporary detention of third-country West African nationals in transit facilities outside Accra have sparked intense local and international debate over state sovereignty, bilateral accountability, and adherence to international refugee laws. As deportation flights continue, legal challenges in the U.S. are expected to keep the policy under heavy scrutiny.

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