Ghana has escalated the migrant violence dispute by submitting a petition to the International Criminal Court, with two Ghanaian officials arguing that attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa constitute crimes against humanity and that the government has failed to protect victims. South Africa's foreign ministry swiftly rejected this characterization, contending the petition falls short of ICC legal thresholds and that its own courts are sufficient to address alleged offences.

The conflict erupted from rising anti-migrant unrest where protesters demanded tighter borders and mass deportations, attributing unemployment and crime to foreign nationals. Thousands of migrants fled or were repatriated by multiple African nations, with unofficial estimates suggesting over 160,000 departures in two months, far exceeding South Africa's official figures. Regional bodies including Ecowas condemned the violence while President Ramaphosa publicly rejected xenophobia, yet the escalation to the ICC signals widening diplomatic rupture over whether South Africa can adequately address the unrest through domestic channels.