US Deports Nine Asylum Seekers from Africa Back to Cameroon, Says Attorney

A lawyer revealed to AFP on Thursday that nine migrants from four African nations arrived in Cameroon this week, having been expelled from the United States as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.

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The deportees, who arrived on Wednesday, hailed from Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, and Congo-Brazzaville, marking the latest development in a contentious scheme that enables the United States to send undocumented migrants to third countries when repatriation to their home country is not feasible.

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Cameroon is one of several African countries that have agreed to participate in this program in recent months, with the latest group of six women and three men bringing the total number of immigrants deported to Cameroon by the United States to 26 since January, according to US immigration lawyer Alma David.

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Joseph Awah Fru, a Cameroonian lawyer who has been monitoring the situation, confirmed the arrival of this third group of deportees on Wednesday to AFP, providing further insight into the implementation of the agreement.

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Washington is reportedly paying Cameroon $30 million to be part of the scheme, which has also drawn in other African countries, including Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan, Eswatini, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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The US justice system often prevents the deportation of migrants to their home country due to safety concerns, leading to their relocation to a third country, which can then expel them, as has been the case with many of these immigrants.

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Of the 17 people previously deported to Cameroon, four have been sent back to their countries of origin, including Morocco, Angola, and Senegal, with two Moroccan women now living in hiding after US courts had initially ruled that their fears for their safety were well-founded.

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The remaining 13 individuals are currently residing at a centre operated by Cameroonian authorities in conjunction with the International Organization for Migration, where they will have the opportunity to apply for asylum in Cameroon if they so choose.

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In a statement released in September, Human Rights Watch denounced these expulsions, which are conducted under "opaque agreements", as a violation of international law, calling for their rejection.