Deported from the US to Cameroon, African Migrants Face Uncertainty Amid Secret Deals

Under secretive agreements arranged by the administration of US President Donald Trump, thousands of migrants who hoped to build new lives in the United States have instead been deported to unfamiliar third countries across Africa and Latin America. An investigation by FRANCE 24, conducted in coordination with Forbidden Stories and other media outlets, details the plight of at least 44 African nationals who were abruptly removed from the US and placed in a government-run temporary shelter in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon—a country many of them had never set foot in before.

Among those affected is Barbara, a young woman from the Tigray region of Ethiopia who fled war and persecution before making her way to the US border via Brazil. Although a US immigration judge granted her "withholding of removal"—a legal protection designed to prevent deportation to her home country due to a high risk of persecution—she was nonetheless removed from a Louisiana detention center and flown to Cameroon on April 28, 2026. Another deportee, Soraya, fled Ghana after facing deadly threats over her sexual orientation. Like Barbara, Soraya had secured legal protection in the US before being abruptly deported.

Legal experts note that while "withholding of removal" protects individuals from being returned to their homelands, the Trump administration has exploited a loophole that allows deportations to third nations deemed safe. More than 35 such bilateral agreements have been established, facilitating the expulsion of over 25,000 people to nations including Mexico, Panama, Eswatini, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon. Most of these pacts remain shrouded in secrecy and have bypassed parliamentary approval, according to Kenyan lawyer Beatrice Njeri.

In Cameroon's capital, deportees are housed in a compound behind high clay-coloured walls, sharing sparse dorm rooms with bunk beds. Residents allege they were stripped of their passports upon arrival by US authorities and initially treated like criminals. Following a hunger strike, some were issued temporary two-month papers allowing limited movement, though local attorney Joseph Awah Fru notes they have no money and are warned authorities will not protect them if they venture out.

Publicly available details regarding the US-Cameroon arrangement are scarce. A December 2025 exchange of diplomatic notes published by the US State Department outlines a transfer agreement for third-country nationals, with Cameroon committing to international law standards and promising protection from persecution. However, a New York Times investigation revealed that the deal followed US financial pressure, including threatened suspensions of $30 million intended for the UN Refugee Agency—a claim denied by the UN agency itself. A source close to the Cameroonian government indicated the pact was negotiated by President Paul Biya to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, which recently culminated in a bilateral dialogue announcing $7 billion in potential US investments in Cameroonian tech, energy, and infrastructure.

Local legal representation is pushing back against the transfers. Awah Fru lodged an appeal with the Yaoundé Administrative Court on behalf of 36 migrants, seeking to suspend the US agreement on the grounds that the deportations expose them to persecution and torture risks. Legal efforts face steep hurdles; during an early visit to the shelter, Awah Fru and accompanying journalists were briefly detained by judicial police and forced to delete footage. While a government source attributed the incident to overzealous policing and maintained that Cameroon is a welcoming nation providing proper care, the affected migrants continue to navigate strict limitations, isolation, and an uncertain path forward.