Yaoundé, Cameroon – Cameroonian authorities are detaining individuals deported from the United States, including asylum seekers and simultaneously suppressing journalistic scrutiny of the situation, raising concerns about human rights and international law. The deportations, carried out under a secretive agreement with the administration of US President Donald Trump, have sparked condemnation from human rights organizations who argue they circumvent legal protections and place vulnerable individuals at risk.
Between January and February , the US government deported seventeen men and women to Cameroon, originating from nine African nations: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. This action included a stateless person, further complicating the legal and humanitarian implications.
Upon arrival in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, the deportees were immediately detained by Cameroonian authorities, despite the absence of a legal basis for their detention. A lawyer assisting the deportees reported that representatives from United Nations agencies offered assistance regarding potential asylum claims within Cameroon. However, the deportees expressed feeling pressured to return to their countries of origin, suggesting a lack of genuine opportunity for protection.
The situation is particularly troubling given that several of those deported had existing court-ordered protections against deportation from the United States, stemming from well-founded fears of persecution or torture in their home countries. The Trump administration bypassed these protections by utilizing a third-country deportation arrangement, a practice Human Rights Watch and other organizations have consistently warned against due to safety concerns in Cameroon.
Cameroon has been grappling with internal conflict and political instability for years. The government has faced accusations of cracking down on opposition and the media, while both government forces and armed groups have been implicated in widespread abuses, including torture in detention. Human Rights Watch documented in the harms experienced by Cameroonian asylum seekers previously deported from the US, highlighting the risks faced by those returned to the country.
Despite being a signatory to the Refugee Convention and possessing national refugee legislation, Cameroon’s actions raise serious questions about its commitment to international obligations. Two individuals deported by the US have already returned to their countries of origin, while fifteen remain in detention in Yaoundé. This practice of forcibly returning individuals to countries where they face potential persecution, torture, or other severe harm – known as refoulement – is prohibited under international law.
The deportations have also been met with resistance from journalists attempting to report on the situation. Several journalists who sought to interview the deportees have been detained and allegedly abused by Cameroonian authorities, further restricting access to information and hindering independent oversight.
The US government’s actions have drawn criticism for their lack of transparency and disregard for the potential consequences faced by those deported. The arrangement, described as “secret” by multiple sources, raises concerns about accountability and due process. A deportee from Zimbabwe likened the experience to a smuggling operation, stating they were “dropped like U.P.S. Packages” in Cameroon.
The broader context of these deportations involves a series of third-country removal schemes pursued by the Trump administration since . A recent report by the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee criticized these schemes as costly, lacking accountability, and involving engagement with governments perceived as corrupt or unstable. Similar arrangements with Panama and Costa Rica have also been documented as resulting in abuses.
Human rights advocates are calling for the immediate release of the remaining deportees in Cameroon, assurances against refoulement, and arrangements for their return to the United States. They are also urging US courts and Congress to investigate the deportations and put an end to agreements with third countries that lack adequate safeguards and consistently lead to human rights violations. The situation underscores the complex challenges surrounding immigration policy, international law, and the protection of vulnerable populations.
The Cameroonian government should immediately release the remaining deportees, ensure protection from refoulement, and arrange their return to the US. It should also respect freedom of the press and hold relevant authorities accountable for abuses. Given the risks of torture, refoulement, and other abuses in Cameroon, the US violated international law by deporting people there. US courts and Congress should press for the return of those deported to Cameroon and for an end to deportation agreements with third countries, which lack safeguards and have consistently resulted in abuses.
