36 African migrants sue Cameroon over US deportation transfers
36 African migrants sue Cameroon over US deportation transfers
Their legal representative, Me Joseph Fru Awah, argues that Cameroon cannot be used as a transit point for sending individuals back to persecution or torture.
In a landmark legal move, 36 African migrants expelled from the United States to Cameroon in 2026 have filed a lawsuit in Yaoundé. Their legal team, led by Me Joseph Fru Awah, seeks both immediate protection under Cameroonian law and the suspension of migration agreements with Washington.
The complaint, lodged with the Yaoundé administrative court, demands the annulment of the bilateral migration accord that enabled their transfer. It also requests legal protection and residency status for the deportees to prevent their forced return to their countries of origin.
“Cameroon cannot serve as a transit hub for sending individuals back to persecution or torture,” declared Me Joseph Fru Awah in an official statement. The lawsuit underscores the legal limbo these individuals face in Cameroon, where they remain without proper identification or legal status.
Financial incentives and diplomatic pressure
The 36 deportees originated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Morocco. Initially protected from deportation by US courts, they were expelled to Cameroon between January and May 2026. Now, they risk being sent back to their home countries from Cameroonian soil.
Since their arrival in Yaoundé, they have been confined to a facility managed by Cameroonian authorities in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). According to Me Joseph Fru Awah, they lack legal documentation and face severe travel restrictions.
Cameroon is among several African nations that have agreed to accept deportees from the US, including the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Sudan, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone. Washington has reportedly offered multi-million-dollar agreements and threatened visa restrictions to secure these arrangements.