Ghana Records 44 Nationals on U.S. “Worst of the Worst” Criminal Aliens List

Ghana now has 44 of its nationals listed on the United States Department of Homeland Security’s public “Worst of the Worst” (WOW) database of criminal non-citizens, according to the latest available country breakdowns.

The figure represents an increase from 32 Ghanaians who appeared on the list earlier in 2026. An update released in late August and early September added 12 new Ghanaian names, bringing the total to 44. With the revised number, Ghana ranks third among West African countries on the database, behind Nigeria with 134 names and Liberia with 111. At the time of that update, the broader West African section of the list contained 427 individuals across 16 countries.

The WOW database, accessible at wow.dhs.gov, was launched in December 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts. It publishes the names, photographs, arrest locations, and criminal histories of non-citizens arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whom the department describes as priority cases for removal. DHS has stated that the platform is intended to increase transparency around arrests of individuals with serious criminal records.

Offences linked to the Ghanaian entries have included fraud, money laundering, identity theft, drug-related charges, robbery, burglary, sexual offences, and immigration violations. Some profiles also note additional details such as alleged gang affiliations. The individuals were arrested in various U.S. states, including Florida, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and others.

The publication of the lists has drawn attention in Ghana and other West African countries, where media outlets have previously shared the names and photographs of those included. DHS maintains that the database focuses on criminal non-citizens and is not targeted at any particular nationality.
The 44 Ghanaian names form part of a larger pattern in which Nigeria and Liberia have consistently accounted for the highest numbers of West African entries on the list since the platform’s launch.