Ghana News
US Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Immigration Freeze Affecting 39 Countries Including Ghana
A nationwide ruling strikes down four USCIS policies that had halted asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship cases for applicants from designated nations
In a landmark decision with immediate global repercussions, a federal judge has struck down a sweeping immigration freeze imposed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) affecting applicants from 39 countries, including Ghana.
U.S. District Judge McConnell of Rhode Island ruled that four USCIS policies were “contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious,” vacating them nationwide. The ruling blocks what immigration attorneys describe as a de facto suspension of immigration benefits for nationals of designated “tribal bank countries” – nations the U.S. government had flagged as high-risk for public benefits reliance.
The now-invalidated policies include: the benefits hold policy, the global asylum hold policy, the comprehensive re-review policy, and the country-specific factors policy. According to court documents, USCIS had used these measures to indefinitely pause decisions on immigration benefits including asylum applications, work permits, green cards, and citizenship cases.
‘They followed the law’
In a sharply worded ruling, Judge McConnell noted the paradox at the heart of the government’s approach.
“These immigrants did exactly what the U.S. government often tells people to do – follow the law and do things the right way,” the judge said, according to court transcripts. Many applicants had filed required applications, paid fees, submitted biometrics, attended interviews, and followed every legal step – only to have their cases frozen “not because of anything they had done wrong, but because of the countries where they were born.”
The ruling applies nationwide. USCIS can no longer rely on these four policies to keep cases on hold.
Ghanaian applicants affected
The decision comes months after the U.S. Embassy in Ghana issued a notice announcing that effective January 21, 2026, pausing all immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries, including Ghana, whose immigrants “have a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer.”
That notice, citing Presidential Proclamation 10998 (effective January 1, 2026), had suspended or limited entry and visa issuance to nationals of 39 countries, as well as individuals using travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
While the embassy notice stated that applicants could still submit visa applications and attend interviews, the now-blocked USCIS policies had placed a separate administrative hold on adjudications.
What happens next
U.S.-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku of AK Poku Law, who commented on the news via Instagram, said the ruling “removes the policies that USCIS was using to place an adjudicated hold on immigration applications.”
“We’re likely to see movement on blocked cases if USCIS obeys the court orders,” Poku said. “We’ll continue monitoring the case and will provide updates on any appeal or further developments.”
The Department of State had also paused all diversity immigrant visa issuances effective immediately, per the January 2026 embassy notice. It remains unclear whether the judge’s ruling will affect that separate pause.
Nonimmigrant visa applicants, including those seeking H-1B, F, M, J, K-1, and other visas, have been instructed to adjust social media privacy settings to “public” to facilitate vetting.
Global implications
Legal observers note that Judge McConnell’s ruling could set a significant precedent limiting executive branch authority to impose country-based immigration freezes without individualized determinations. The government has not yet announced whether it will appeal.
For now, thousands of immigrants from Ghana and 38 other affected nations who have waited months or years for case decisions may finally see progress – provided USCIS complies with the court order.
Full List of the 39 Countries Affected by the Initial USCIS Freeze
The immigration freeze blocked by Judge McConnell originated from Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026.
The policy divided affected nations into two categories: countries facing a full suspension of all visa issuances and those under a partial suspension affecting specific visa categories.
Below is the complete list of the 39 countries whose nationals were subject to the adjudicative hold on USCIS benefit applications, as confirmed by multiple sources including the U.S. Department of State .
Full Suspension (19 Countries)
Nationals from these countries faced a complete halt on all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuances, with limited exceptions for diplomatic visas, Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees, and certain sporting event participants.
| Country | Region |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | South Asia |
| Burkina Faso | West Africa |
| Burma (Myanmar) | Southeast Asia |
| Chad | Central Africa |
| Republic of the Congo | Central Africa |
| Equatorial Guinea | Central Africa |
| Eritrea | East Africa |
| Haiti | Caribbean |
| Iran | Middle East |
| Laos | Southeast Asia |
| Libya | North Africa |
| Mali | West Africa |
| Niger | West Africa |
| Sierra Leone | West Africa |
| Somalia | East Africa |
| South Sudan | East Africa |
| Sudan | North Africa |
| Syria | Middle East |
| Yemen | Middle East |
Note: Individuals traveling on travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority were also subject to the full suspension.
Partial Suspension (20 Countries)
Nationals from these countries faced partial restrictions. For most, immigrant visas, B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas, F and M student visas, and J exchange visitor visas were suspended. However, certain work visa categories (H-1B, L, O, P, R) generally remained available, though with reduced validity periods.
| Country | Region |
|---|---|
| Angola | Southern Africa |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Caribbean |
| Benin | West Africa |
| Burundi | East Africa |
| Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | West Africa |
| Cuba | Caribbean |
| Dominica | Caribbean |
| Gabon | Central Africa |
| The Gambia | West Africa |
| Malawi | Southern Africa |
| Mauritania | West Africa |
| Nigeria | West Africa |
| Senegal | West Africa |
| Tanzania | East Africa |
| Togo | West Africa |
| Tonga | Pacific Islands |
| Turkmenistan* | Central Asia |
| Venezuela | South America |
| Zambia | Southern Africa |
| Zimbabwe | Southern Africa |
*Turkmenistan exception: Only immigrant visas were suspended for Turkmen nationals; nonimmigrant visas (tourist, student, work) remained available .
Impact on Ghana
Notably, Ghana was not among the 39 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10998. However, Ghanaian applicants were separately affected by the U.S. Embassy notice issued January 21, 2026, which paused immigrant visa issuances to nationals of countries—including Ghana—whose immigrants were deemed to have a high rate of collecting public assistance. That separate policy, rooted in public charge concerns rather than the national security grounds cited in PP 10998, was not directly addressed by Judge McConnell’s ruling on the USCIS adjudicative hold policies.
Legal Challenge and Nationwide Block
Judge McConnell’s ruling vacated four USCIS policies that implemented these restrictions: the benefits hold policy, the global asylum hold policy, the comprehensive re-review policy, and the country-specific factors policy . The court found these policies “contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious,” noting that applicants from affected nations had followed all legal requirements only to have their cases frozen based solely on their country of birth.
The nationwide injunction means USCIS can no longer rely on these policies to keep cases on hold, potentially reopening pathways to asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship for nationals of the 39 affected countries—pending any government appeal.
In a powerful demonstration of local ownership, Ghanaian research institutions and pharmaceutical manufacturers are contributing an additional €425,000 of their own money to implement innovative health projects, signaling a robust commitment to advancing homegrown medical solutions beyond relying on foreign aid alone.
The co-funding is part of a €2 million grant package awarded under the PharmaVax Ghana program, backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU).
The initiative is designed to bridge the critical gap between scientific discovery and industrial-scale manufacturing within Ghana.
While the grants provide vital financial fuel, the local co-investment—which ranges from €10,000 to €150,000 across the eight winning projects—represents a crucial “skin in the game” approach.
It shows that local institutions are not merely passive recipients of aid, but active stakeholders willing to risk their own capital to bring products to the market. This practical commitment underscores the sustainability of the projects, ensuring they are not abandoned once international funding cycles end.
The projects span a wide range of medical priorities, including fast-dissolving oral tablets for child-friendly malaria treatment, AI-powered diagnostic tools for Mpox and malaria, standardized herbal treatments for hypertension and liver disease, and stability data for locally produced tetanus-diphtheria vaccines.
Highlighting the importance of this local participation, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), emphasized that the funds are meant to catalyze local capabilities.
“Ghana has the scientific talent, the research institutions and an increasingly capable pharmaceutical industry to develop health solutions that respond to our own priorities,” he stated. “By bringing these strengths together, we are creating the foundation for medicines and vaccines that are developed in Ghana, manufactured in Ghana, and have the potential to benefit the wider region.”
Ghana’s Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, echoed this sentiment, noting that the initiative marks a journey where researchers and manufacturers collaborate to transform scientific discoveries into life-saving products.
The €425,000 in local contributions—combined with the €2 million in grants and technical assistance from the EU and Germany—positions Ghana as a rising hub for pharmaceutical industrialization in West Africa, moving the nation closer to health security and economic self-reliance.
Ghana News
From Default to Discipline: How Ghana is Legally Binding Itself to Prevent the Next Debt Crisis
Fresh off a landmark agreement with Belgium that eases its debt burden, Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has unveiled a sweeping package of legal and institutional reforms designed to permanently prevent the country from sliding back into the fiscal chaos that triggered its 2022 sovereign default.
The deal with Belgium to restructure €163 million in debt owed to the country’s Export Credit Agency marks a pivotal step towards completing Ghana’s broader debt restructuring program. Crucially, the agreement frees up much-needed “fiscal space” by slashing the amount of national revenue consumed by debt servicing. Minister Forson revealed that Ghana’s debt-service burden has fallen drastically from a crippling peak of roughly 50% to 55% of national revenue to less than 20% today—a shift that directly impacts the government’s ability to fund schools, hospitals, and roads.
However, the most significant aspect of Ghana’s strategy is its attempt to codify fiscal prudence into law, ensuring that the discipline learned from the crisis is not lost by future administrations.
A Three-Pronged Strategy for Fiscal Discipline
1. The Commitment Authorization Regime
At the core of the immediate controls is a strict mandate for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Under the amended Public Financial Management Act, no government institution can initiate a contract for goods, services, or works without first securing commitment authorization from the Finance Minister . This process, integrated with the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), acts as a “roadblock” to prevent overspending and the accumulation of hidden arrears—a practice that historically poisoned the country’s finances.
2. Binding Fiscal Rules in Law
Beyond day-to-day controls, the government has instituted statutory targets to ensure long-term solvency. The Public Financial Management Act has been amended to require a minimum annual primary surplus of 1.5% of GDP and to cap the national debt-to-GDP ratio at 45% by 2034 . These are not policy recommendations but binding legal requirements, with the Finance Minister potentially facing censure for breaching these targets.
3. Independent Oversight Institutions
To guarantee that fiscal responsibility is maintained even after Ghana concludes its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the government has established two powerful oversight bodies:
- The Value for Money Office: Parliament passed the Value-for-Money Office Bill in March 2026, creating an independent body to scrutinize major public expenditure. This office will combat inflated contracts, cost overruns, and abandoned projects by issuing mandatory “Value for Money Certificates” before major contracts are awarded.
- The Independent Fiscal Council: The government is establishing a council composed of locally appointed experts to provide advisory support on financial controls and fiscal decision-making . This council, scheduled to take effect after the IMF programme ends, aims to strengthen domestic oversight and accountability, ensuring that Ghana owns its fiscal destiny.
From Recovery to Sustainability
Finance Minister Ato Forson is clear about the goal: “We want to ensure that the fiscal rules that we have instituted today are enshrined in law, so that even if this government is not there, the next government will have to make sure that these fiscal rules are respected” .
The Belgium agreement is the immediate piece of good news that provides tangible relief—allowing Ghana to redirect more resources towards essential public services. But the real measure of Ghana’s recovery will be its ability to enforce these new legal shackles.
By moving from crisis management to institutionalized discipline, Ghana is attempting to break the cycle of over-borrowing, arrears, and economic collapse that has plagued the nation for decades.
In a significant boost to Africa’s push for pharmaceutical self-reliance, the European Union (EU) and Germany have injected €2 million into Ghana to bridge the critical gap between laboratory research and industrial-scale manufacturing.
The funding, awarded under the PharmaVax Ghana programme, has been distributed to eight groundbreaking research partnerships aimed at developing and manufacturing medicines and vaccines locally, drastically reducing the continent’s historical reliance on imported drugs.
The announcement came during the “Research Meets Manufacturing” Award Ceremony in Accra on August 19, co-hosted by Ghana’s National Vaccine Institute (NVI) and the German development agency GIZ.
The grants are jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU) as part of the broader Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+).
This strategic geopolitical and economic move underscores Western Europe’s commitment to backing local African manufacturing ecosystems, countering the long-standing structural imbalance where Africa imports over 90% of its pharmaceuticals.
“A ceremony marks the beginning of an important journey—a journey that brings researchers, manufacturers, government and international partners together to transform scientific discoveries into medicines and vaccines that save and improve lives,” said Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Ghana’s Minister of Health, during the event.
Innovation Across the Health Spectrum
The eight winning projects, selected from 43 competitive proposals by an independent committee of nine Ghanaian experts, represent the breadth of the nation’s scientific talent. They include:
- AI-driven monoclonal antibodies and diagnostics for Mpox and malaria, using a Ghanaian artificial intelligence platform.
- Fast-dissolving oral tablets for the treatment of malaria in children, addressing critical issues of accurate dosing.
- Clinical trials for locally developed herbal treatments for prostate health, hypertension, and alcohol-related liver disease.
- Stability data generation to support regulatory approval of locally produced tetanus-diphtheria vaccines, snake venom antiserum, and pain management therapies.
A Foundation for Health Sovereignty
Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute, emphasized that the grants go far beyond financial aid.
“Ghana has the scientific talent, the research institutions and an increasingly capable pharmaceutical industry to develop health solutions that respond to our own priorities,” Dr. Sodzi-Tettey stated. “By bringing these strengths together, we are creating the foundation for medicines and vaccines that are developed in Ghana, manufactured in Ghana, and have the potential to benefit the wider region.”
Notably, Ghanaian partners are contributing an additional €425,000 towards implementing their projects, demonstrating a strong local commitment to advancing homegrown innovation. Alongside the direct funding, the projects will also receive technical assistance, networking opportunities, and knowledge exchange to ensure long-term commercial viability.
As the global health community increasingly looks to localized manufacturing to secure supply chains, this €2 million initiative serves as a pivotal case study.
It represents a concrete, actionable blueprint for how international development capital can ignite the “Made in Africa” pharmaceutical industrial wave, securing the continent’s health security and driving economic development from within.
Ghanaian Firms Inject €425,000 of Own Funds to Ignite ‘Made in Ghana’ Health Innovation
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