HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

Texas pastor deported to Ghana, a country he has never visited

Oct 6, 2026·Location: Mesquite, TX

Country of origin: Nigeria

Texas pastor deported to Ghana, a country he has never visited
Photo via ms.now

Samuel Nnamdi, a 45-year-old pastor and father of five at a small church in Mesquite, Texas, was detained by ICE agents on July 6 while on his way to his job at UPS, still in his work uniform, where he had worked legally for five years with employment authorization and no criminal record. He was later deported to Ghana, a country he had never visited and has no ties to, despite a 2019 immigration judge ruling granting him withholding of removal protecting him from being sent back to his native Nigeria, where he said gunmen had threatened to kill him for preaching. His attorney, Julie Justice, said he was not given proper notice before being deported. His case has been described as part of a broader pattern of third-country deportations, in which the government removes people to nations with which they have no ties through diplomatic agreements with foreign governments. Nnamdi now lives in hiding in West Africa, separated from his wife and children, two of whom are U.S. citizens, connecting with them through video calls before school and on weekends.

Timeline

Oct 6, 2026—Reports described his deportation as part of a broader pattern of third-country removals
Jul 6, 2026—Detained by ICE agents while on his way to his job at UPS
Jul 6, 2026—Deported to Ghana without proper notice, despite withholding of removal order
Jun 1, 2019—Immigration judge granted Nnamdi withholding of removal, protecting him from deportation to Nigeria
Suggest a correction, comment, or update

Sources

More incidents in Texas