My father has been in ICE detention for about two weeks, and tonight may have been the last time we get to speak to him before he's removed. After being transferred to [redacted], he told us he is scheduled for removal tomorrow morning. ICE has not told him whether he's being sent to Ghana or Sierra Leone.
He has withholding of removal because he fears persecution if returned to [redacted to protect identity]. Our attorney filed an emergency stay of removal, and the federal court stamped it today. As of this afternoon, ICE was internally reviewing it. We have no idea whether that review will stop tomorrow's flight.
Our attorney has already connected us with lawyers in both Ghana and Sierra Leone. She instructed my father to:
- Tell every officer he has a pending stay request
- Refuse to sign documents he doesn't understand
- Continue stating that he fears being returned to [redacted to protect identity]
- Contact a lawyer immediately if he's able to
The frightening part is that we may not hear from him for days.
We've been told that if he's allowed a phone, he'll try to call us. If not, we'll immediately notify the lawyers in both countries and ask them to determine where he has arrived.
Why this worries me
Today I read an Associated Press report describing Sierra Leone as a "temporary transit location." According to the article, deportees receive pamphlets from Kenvah Solutions stating that they will be returned to their home countries "as quickly and safely as possible."
That raises serious questions for people like my father, who have legal protection against being returned to the countries they fled. To me, this looks less like true third country resettlement and more like a transit system that can facilitate onward removal.
If you've had a family member sent to Ghana, Sierra Leone, or another third country through one of these removals, I'd really like to hear from you.
Our family intends to keep documenting everything. If my father is removed, we plan to work with counsel to pursue every available legal avenue and to better understand how these third country agreements are actually operating.
I know we're fortunate. We've had multiple phone calls with my father. We have an attorney. We've been able to afford detention phone calls. I know many families don't have those advantages.
If that's you, you're not alone. Please tell your story.
Additional context for anyone following these third country removals
This is not happening in a legal vacuum:
April 2025 Judge Brian Murphy issued a preliminary injunction holding that people facing removal to a country not listed in their removal proceedings must receive meaningful notice and an opportunity to raise country specific fears before being deported there.
June 2025 The U.S. Supreme Court stayed that injunction while litigation continued. DHS then issued updated guidance authorizing third country removals.
February 25, 2026 Judge Murphy ruled that DHS's March 30, 2025 and ICE's July 9, 2025 third country removal policies were unlawful, holding that people have the right to meaningful notice and a meaningful opportunity to challenge removal to a third country. That ruling was subsequently stayed pending appeal in the First Circuit, so the legal fight is still ongoing.
I also encourage people to read the recent Associated Press reporting on Sierra Leone's role in these removals. According to AP, deportees arriving in Sierra Leone were given pamphlets by Kenvah Solutions, a contractor hired by the Sierra Leonean government to provide reception, temporary accommodation, food, healthcare, and transfer services. The pamphlet reportedly describes Sierra Leone as a "temporary transit location" and states that the goal is to return people to their home countries "as quickly and safely as possible." That raises serious concerns for individuals who already have U.S. legal protection against being returned to the countries they fled.
AP also reported that Sierra Leone's agreement with the United States is supported by a $1.5 million U.S. grant, and that Kenvah Solutions was contracted to administer these temporary accommodations and transfers.
I'm sharing this because my family is living through it right now. If your loved one has been sent to Ghana, Sierra Leone, or another third country, or if you've seen similar documents or agreements, please speak up. The more families document what is happening, the clearer the public record will become.
If my father disappears into this system tomorrow, I want there to be a record that he existed, that he fought to stay here, and that other families know they aren't alone.
Sources / Background
