FILE PHOTO: A detained woman sits inside a vehicle surrounded by federal agents, as immigration enforcement continues after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7 during an immigration raid, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
Thirty-six African migrants expelled from the United States to Cameroon in early 2026 have filed a lawsuit in Yaoundé to demand legal protection and suspend the bilateral migration agreement with Washington. Their lawyer, Me Joseph Fru Awah, argues that Cameroon cannot serve as a transit point for deportations to persecution or torture.
Legal battle against deportation risks
These migrants, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Morocco, had previously secured protection against deportation in the US. However, between January and May 2026, they were forcibly transferred to Cameroon, where they now face the threat of being sent back to their countries of origin.
The lawsuit filed with the Yaoundé administrative court seeks to block the deportation process and obtain legal residence status for the plaintiffs. Me Joseph Fru Awah emphasized, « Cameroon cannot be used as a transit country to send people back to persecution or torture. »
Living in legal limbo in Cameroon
Since their arrival in Cameroon, the 36 individuals have been held in a detention center managed by Cameroonian authorities in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). According to their legal representative, they lack proper identification documents and face severe movement restrictions.
US policy fuels controversy over third-country expulsions
The Biden administration’s strategy of transferring migrants to third countries, including several in Africa, has sparked widespread debate. Cameroon, along with other nations such as the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has reportedly agreed to receive deportees in exchange for financial incentives and visa concessions from the US.
While US officials claim these transfers comply with international law, critics argue that the practice undermines refugee protections and exposes vulnerable individuals to further harm.
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