More third-country nationals have been deported by the US to Cameroon, lawyers tell AP

U.S. Deports Second Group of Third-Country Nationals to Cameroon

A new contingent of third-country nationals was deported by the United States to Cameroon on Monday, according to lawyers familiar with the case. This marks the second known group of non-Cameroonian migrants sent to the Central African nation under the Trump administration’s controversial third-country deportation program.

Attorney Alma David of the U.S.-based Novo Legal Group confirmed that approximately eight migrants who are not Cameroonian citizens arrived on a deportation flight that landed in the capital, Yaounde. Cameroon-based lawyer Joseph Awah Fru, who is working with David, stated they have not yet been able to speak with the recent arrivals.

“For now, my focus is handling their shock,” Fru told reporters.

The deportations follow a similar operation last month when nine third-country nationals – five women and four men from various African countries including Zimbabwe, Morocco and Ghana – were sent to Cameroon. The New York Times first reported on this initial group on Saturday. Two of those nine have since been repatriated to their home countries, according to David.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the second deportation flight but declined to provide further details.

What makes these deportations particularly controversial is that eight of the nine migrants in the first group had been granted protection orders by U.S. immigration judges, preventing their deportation to their countries of origin due to credible fears of persecution or torture. Some received these protections based on their sexual orientation, while others cited political persecution.

“That is why the United States did not send them directly to their countries,” Fru explained. “Because there is cause for concern that they might be harmed, that their lives are threatened.”

Legal experts contend that sending these individuals to a third country like Cameroon, from where they might eventually be returned to their home countries, represents a troubling workaround to established asylum protections.

Cameroon, where 93-year-old President Paul Biya has maintained an authoritarian grip on power since 1982, is just one of at least seven African nations participating in the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program. Other participating countries include South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea.

According to documents released by the U.S. State Department, some nations have received millions of dollars to accept deported migrants. A report compiled by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and released last week indicates the Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport approximately 300 migrants to countries other than their own in Africa, Central America and elsewhere.

Internal administration documents reviewed by the Associated Press reveal that 47 third-country agreements are at various stages of negotiation. Of these, 15 have been concluded and 10 are at or near completion.

When asked about the Cameroon deportations, the U.S. State Department declined to comment on diplomatic communications, stating only that “implementing the Trump Administration’s immigration policies is a top priority for the Department of State.”

The Department of Homeland Security defended the practice, stating: “We are applying the law as written. If a judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period.” The department characterized these third-country agreements as “essential to the safety of our homeland and the American people.”

The administration has framed the third-country deportation program as both a deterrent and a tool for removing what it describes as dangerous criminals. However, David noted that none of the nine migrants in the first Cameroon group had criminal records beyond driving-related offenses.

Human rights advocates have raised serious concerns about the program. They argue that sending migrants to countries with poor human rights records exposes them to potential abuse and denial of due process.

The situation in Eswatini illustrates these concerns. Last year, the U.S. deported five non-nationals to this southern African kingdom, which remains the continent’s last absolute monarchy. Despite having completed their sentences in the U.S., four of these deportees have been held in a maximum-security prison for over six months without charges and denied in-person legal representation. Their detentions are currently being challenged in Eswatini’s courts.

According to released documents, Eswatini will receive $5.1 million to accept up to 160 third-country deportees. The kingdom’s ruler, King Mswati III, has long faced criticism for suppressing pro-democracy movements and maintaining a lavish lifestyle while much of his population lives in poverty.

As the third-country deportation program continues to expand, human rights advocates and immigration attorneys remain vigilant, monitoring the treatment of those sent to nations where they have no ties and may face uncertain futures.