The deportation of Rabbiatu Kuyateh, a 58-year-old grandmother who spent three decades living in the United States, has ignited national and international debate over immigration procedures, human rights protections, and the expanding use of “third-country deportations.” Her case—which includes dramatic video of her being dragged by individuals believed to be Ghanaian officials—serves as a rare, detailed look into a program that is largely hidden from public view.
Background of the Case
Kuyateh fled Sierra Leone’s civil war approximately 30 years ago and resettled in the Washington, D.C., region. Her son, Mohamed Alghali, was born in the U.S. and owns a home with her in Bowie, Maryland. According to the family and her attorney, she lived quietly, worked as a nurse under a valid work permit, raised her children, and had no known criminal history.
This July, Kuyateh attended a routine ICE check-in—something she had done annually. But unlike in the past, she was unexpectedly detained. Absent any change in her status or behavior, her son was shocked. “My heart just broke,” he told NBC.
Shortly after detention in Maryland, she was transferred to ICE’s Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana, where she spent several months while her lawyer filed legal motions.
The Third-Country Removal Program
The Trump administration’s policy enables ICE to deport individuals to countries other than their homeland—sometimes even to nations with which the deportee has no legal, familial, or cultural connection.
Under this program, dozens of African-born or African-resident immigrants have been removed to countries across Africa since summer 2025, according to internal ICE data reviewed by NBC News.
In Kuyateh’s case, although she is Sierra Leonean, she was sent to Ghana, a nation she says she has never stepped foot in.
Legal Issues and Alleged Violations
Kuyateh’s attorney, Hannah Bridges, stated that a U.S. immigration judge explicitly ruled that she could not be returned to Sierra Leone, where Kuyateh said she was tortured. This legally should have triggered procedural safeguards requiring:
- notification of third-country removal consideration
- an opportunity to argue against deportation to the alternative nation
- a hearing before deportation
Bridges says none of these occurred—that her motions for hearings went unacknowledged. If accurate, this represents a denial of due process and may violate federal immigration statutes, international torture protections, and asylum regulations.
Conditions During Deportation
Kuyateh said she was shackled at the wrists and ankles for a 10-hour flight. She described another man chained “from the head to the feet.”
Such accounts raise questions about:
- proportionality of restraints
- compliance with ICE’s own transport standards
- oversight of contracted transport teams
Advocacy groups have long criticized excessive restraints during deportations, especially for non-violent individuals.
Arrival in Ghana and Video Footage
Upon arrival in Ghana, video from independent journalists and witnesses shows Kuyateh being dragged across the tarmac, crying out, as multiple individuals—believed by her family to be Ghanaian government personnel—attempted to move her.
Ghana has not publicly confirmed or denied involvement.
The footage has gone viral internationally, sparking discussions about:
- the responsibility of receiving nations
- whether Ghana agreed to accept deportees as part of a diplomatic or economic arrangement
- what happens to deportees who arrive with no documentation or support
Policy and Ethical Analysis
Pros / Government Rationale
Supporters of third-country removal argue:
- Deterrence – preventing prolonged appeals and discouraging false asylum claims.
- Operational flexibility – allowing deportation when the home country refuses documents or delays acceptance.
- National security interests – removing individuals considered removable regardless of obstacles.
- Legal justification – U.S. immigration law permits removal to a third country under certain conditions.
Cons / Concerns Raised
Human rights and legal advocates warn the practice can:
- Violate due process – when deportees are not properly notified or given a hearing.
- Endanger vulnerable individuals – those with asylum claims, trauma histories, or no ties to the destination country.
- Create stateless conditions – deportees may be rejected by the third country or left undocumented.
- Bypass judicial protections – potentially undermining court orders, as alleged in Kuyateh’s case.
- Lack oversight – with no clear transparency about how receiving countries are selected.
Scholars also note this practice resembles “extraordinary rendition” in its mechanics, creating concern about accountability.
Broader Implications
Kuyateh’s case arrives amid heightened enforcement:
- expanded ICE operations
- increased use of mass deportation charter flights
- new partnerships with foreign governments
- political pressure from the Trump administration to accelerate removals
Her forced deportation highlights the complex intersection of immigration law, human rights, foreign policy, and executive power.
Family and Community Response
Alghali says he feels helpless and devastated. “I failed my mom,” he said. Her family still has no confirmation of her exact location or safety.
Community members have organized support networks, and civil rights groups are monitoring the case as a potential example of systemic due-process failures within third-country deportations.
