A contentious US policy enabling the transfer of undocumented foreign nationals to third countries has sparked legal action in Cameroon. Thirty-six African migrants expelled from the United States to Yaoundé in early 2026 are now pursuing judicial protection in Cameroon’s administrative courts. Their goal: to challenge the bilateral migration agreement with Washington and secure legal residency status.

The lawsuit filed with the Yaoundé administrative tribunal demands the suspension of the US-Cameroon migration accord. It seeks to grant the 36 individuals legal protection in Cameroon, preventing their forced repatriation to their countries of origin. ‘Cameroon cannot be used as a transit point to send people back to persecution or torture,’ stated their legal representative, Me Joseph Fru Awah, in a formal statement.

Financial incentives and diplomatic pressure behind the transfers

The expelled migrants—originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Morocco—had previously been protected from deportation by US courts. However, between January and May 2026, they were forcibly transferred to Cameroon. Now stranded in Yaoundé, they face an uncertain future, housed in a facility managed by Cameroonian authorities in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to Me Fru Awah, the group remains ‘deprived of legal identity documents and clear residency status,’ while being subjected to ‘travel restrictions.’ The legal challenge aims to rectify this precarious situation and halt any potential deportations to their home countries.

Cameroon’s role in US deportation agreements

Cameroon is among several African nations that have agreed to accept deportees from the United States, including the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Sudan, Eswatini, the DRC, and Sierra Leone. Washington has defended its strategy, asserting that while direct deportations to countries of origin are prohibited, transfers to third-party nations remain permissible.

Investigations have revealed that the US government has offered financial incentives—potentially millions of dollars—and threatened visa restrictions to persuade African and other countries to participate in these deportation arrangements.