Third-Country Deportations and the Case of Moussa Diawara

From several miles away, Moussa Diawara contacted his son from a distant country to remind him about weekly chores. Diawara, originally from Mali, spent much of his life in the United States with his wife and two U.S. citizen children. He worked, paid taxes, and built a life in America. However, he was deported to Ghana by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last summer. This occurred despite having no connection to Ghana, due to a legal order preventing his deportation to Mali where he risked persecution.

On arriving in Ghana, Diawara was quickly sent to Mali by local officials. He reports feeling as though his situation is surreal, pointing to the harsh reality of third-country deportations under the Trump administration’s policy. When the U.S. deports an individual but cannot send them to their origin country due to safety concerns, they opt to deport them to a third country instead.

Diawara’s Journey in the U.S.

Diawara arrived in the U.S. at age 32 on a tourist visa. Overstaying this visa, he applied for refugee protection fearing persecution in Mali because of his conversion to Christianity. While Mali is predominantly Muslim with active insurgent threats, Diawara has a clean criminal record. Initially, a U.S. immigration judge ruled he wouldn’t be sent to Mali and granted a work permit, allowing him to work as an Uber driver. This situation changed when ICE detained him at his family home in July, without legal consultation, before deporting him to Ghana.

While in Ghana, Diawara and others were detained against their will, unable to communicate with the outside world. Claiming they were kidnapped, Diawara managed to flee Mali weeks later with assistance from local truckers. He requested confidentiality regarding his new location for safety reasons.

Diawara acknowledges the right of the U.S. to deport him but argues against the choice of Mali, suspecting U.S. awareness of Ghana’s intentions to send him there. He mentions receiving a document during his deportation flight with Mali as the destination. U.S. officials labeled this as a clerical error, citing diplomatic assurances from Ghana regarding his safety.

The Broader Impact of Third-Country Deportations

The Trump administration has significantly increased third-country deportations, unlike previous ones. During Diawara’s deportation flight, 63 individuals shared his fate. Out of those reached, the majority reported being sent to countries they fled from against U.S. judicial rulings. Criticized by immigration experts and attorneys, this policy is seen as a violation of international law.

A Senate report criticized these deportations, highlighting the waste of taxpayer dollars and potential harm to U.S. interests. The Trump administration is accused of ignoring warnings from lawsuits regarding Ghana and sending thousands more to such third countries.

Official Stance on Deportations and Legal Proceedings

Homeland Security asserts deportations are misunderstood, implying some voluntarily return to their home countries. Evidence shows deportees sent to third countries like Sierra Leone often end up in their original countries, contrary to immigration rulings. Despite these deportations being identified as unlawful, they’re still enforced pending a Supreme Court ruling.

Diawara’s lawyer is working to have him returned to the U.S. His family, left without him, struggles with their father’s absence. In Texas, Diawara’s wife and children continue their daily lives while hoping for his safe return.