US Details How Deported West Africans Can Seek to Return To The Country

• The US government requires deported immigrants barred under specific INA sections to file a formal application before attempting to return
• The Department of Homeland Security must approve the application before any physical re-entry into the United States is made
• Immigrants who return without DHS consent after deportation risk being permanently barred from the country under federal immigration law

The United States government has set out a formal legal process that deported or removed immigrants must follow before they can lawfully return to the country, centred on an application for consent to reapply for admission.

The requirement is rooted in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), specifically sections 212(a)(9)(A) and (C), which render certain categories of immigrants inadmissible.

Those who fall under these provisions must obtain explicit permission from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before making any attempt to re-enter the United States. The process is also commonly referred to as "permission to reapply."

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Who the requirement applies to

The obligation covers a broad range of individuals, including those who were excluded, deported or removed from the United States at any point, as well as those who accumulated more than one year of unlawful presence in total.

Such individuals cannot legally return until they receive formal consent under INA sections 212(a)(9)(A)(iii) or (C)(ii).

Authorities have been clear about the sequence of steps involved. Filing the application is not, on its own, sufficient.

The applicant must wait for DHS to process and formally approve the request before travelling to or entering the United States. Beginning a journey back to the country while the application remains pending does not satisfy the legal requirement.

Consequences of returning without approval

Immigrants who re-enter the United States without proper inspection, or who return without securing the required DHS consent after being deported or after accumulating more than one year of unlawful presence, face being permanently barred from the country under INA section 212(a)(9)(C).

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The permanent inadmissibility provision applies regardless of the method of re-entry, whether through an unofficial border crossing or by presenting at a port of entry without the required documentation and consent. Officials have described this as a strict rule with lasting legal consequences for anyone who disregards it.

Immigrants who believe they may fall under any of the relevant inadmissibility categories are advised to confirm their status and complete the full application process before making any travel arrangements to the United States.

US names 427 West Africans set for deportation

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had published an updated deportation list targeting 427 individuals from 16 West African countries.

Nigeria tops the list with 134 individuals named, followed by Liberia with 111 and Ghana with 44.

Source: YEN.com.gh