Ghana’s Embassy Delegation Visits Ghanaians Held at ICE Detention Centre
- Ghana's Ambassador to the US, Victor Emmanuel Smith, and some delegates visited an ICE facility in Pennsylvania
- According to the Ambassador, the ICE centre they visited has 11 Ghanaians comprising 10 men and a woman there
- Social media users applauded Ambassador Smith for visiting and shared other thoughts in the comment section
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Victor Emmanuel Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, led a delegation from the Ghana Embassy in Washington to visit an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Pennsylvania, where some Ghanaians are being held.
Source: Twitter
The embassy stated that the facility is housing eleven Ghanaian detainees, comprising ten men and one woman. The duration of detention among them ranges from approximately two weeks to as long as ten months.
The Ambassador and his team received briefings from ICE facility officials on the legal and welfare status of the detainees. According to the Ambassador, they also interacted directly with the Ghanaians to assess their treatment, health conditions, and general well-being, while listening to their personal concerns.
Speaking to the detainees, Ambassador Smith acknowledged the emotional challenges of being in detention during the Christmas season, away from loved ones. He noted that while the detainees appeared to be in stable physical condition, many were experiencing psychological strain, especially those facing possible deportation.
“The government understands the human pain involved, and we approach this situation with compassion and dignity,” the Ambassador said.
He added that detention circumstances do not define an individual’s future and encouraged the detainees to remain hopeful as immigration processes continue. He assured them that Ghana remains open to citizens who return and seek to rebuild their lives.
“While this chapter is challenging, it does not define anyone’s future. With time and the right processes, opportunities can always open again. Back home in Ghana, meaningful opportunities are being created under the Mahama administration’s reset agenda to help returning citizens rebuild their lives with dignity,” he said.
“There is no shame in starting again. As we reflect during this season, we are reminded to remain thankful and hopeful, even in adversity. Ghana remains home, and the future remains open,” Ambassador Smith added.
Reactions to Ambassador's visit
YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the post on social media. Read them below:
@cdngadjei said:
"Chale, this move be nice, but if Ghana sweet like that, who go sit for ICE cold Pennsylvania? Fix things and make boys stay home small!"
@SamuelBenn3ug4 wrote:
"If Ghanaians refrain from nepotism, corruption, scamming, tribalism, thievery, and our leaders focus on the reset agenda by President Mahama, to make Ghana great again, just like what Trump is doing, cleaning up the system of the USA, no need to be in the US. Never ever. Ghana is great."
@XdatingOfficial said:
"Good job 👏."
@SamuelBenn3ug4 wrote:
"Good governance is all Ghana needs. Forget about so-called multiparty systems of democracy.it isn’t going to help Ghana. Get a right-hearted president like Mahama, Nkrumah and the citizens are okay to stay home. Nothing to run home with, being in the USA. Just visiting."
@goodnesstous said:
"Great gesture. Keep it up."
@GomdaJacob wrote:
"We haven’t seen this before, this is the type of leadership Ghanaians have been yearning for. Our Foreign Minister is also set to visit Latvia following the killing of a Ghanaian student. @S_OkudzetoAblak #aban papa aba."
@kwakuyeboah22 said:
"It now feels like we are citizens of a country. What a gesture."
Source: YEN.com.gh
