Angela Moore is a Ghanaian US-based immigration lawyer
A Ghanaian US-based immigration lawyer, Angela Moore, has outlined some common mistakes Ghanaians make after arriving in the United States, which often result in deportation or detention.
According to her, many rush into marriage soon after arrival without considering the potential negative consequences.
She explained that in some cases, individuals who were already married in Ghana divorce their spouses within three months of entering the US and remarry, believing this will help them overstay in the country.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based JoyNews on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Moore stressed that such decisions are usually made without proper guidance.
Instead of seeking advice from qualified immigration attorneys, many rely on unverified sources, leading them into serious legal complications, she stressed.
“Typically, they will come on a visa and say, ‘Oh, I love it here,’ and then they talk to people who are not attorneys or immigration law experts. These people mislead them on how to obtain legal status, and that’s a huge mistake. Many of them marry too early. So, you see someone arriving on a visa, and three months later, they have divorced their spouse back in Ghana and remarried. Naturally, that’s not how people live their lives,” she explained.
Moore added that when these individuals are later called for interviews and their supposed spouses abroad refuse to accompany them, they are left vulnerable, often resulting in deportation or detention.
“So, when they are called for interviews and their spouses abroad refuse to accompany them or provide documents relevant to their cases, some simply abandon the process altogether. That is when ICE steps in.
“Many of our people end up in trouble with current enforcement because they may already have a removal order, having failed to properly follow through with the process,” she disclosed.
Watch the video below:
Common mistakes Ghanaians make when they arrive in the U.S. include deciding to overstay a visit visa and relying on advice from people who are not qualified immigration attorneys – Angela Moore, U.S. based Ghanaian Immigration Lawyer#AMShow pic.twitter.com/PBsrwzgQNg
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) January 28, 2026
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