A recent investigation by France 24 and RFI, in collaboration with the international consortium Forbidden Stories, has revealed that at least 44 African migrants were deported from the United States to Cameroon—a nation with which they had no prior connection. These individuals are currently residing there with restricted freedom of movement and confiscated documents.
This group includes citizens from Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. They are housed in a government facility in Yaoundé, designated as a "temporary shelter for migrants," where they share bunk-bed rooms.
Impact on Cuban Nationals
This policy of deporting to third countries has also affected Cuban citizens, who have been sent to African nations they had no ties with. One notable case involves Yasmany Moreno de Armas, a 31-year-old Cuban who lived and worked in Florida before being deported to the Central African Republic. Moreno discovered his destination was Africa only five hours into the flight as they approached Bangui. "We can't leave, we have no documents, we're suffering and missing our families in a continent we don't know," he recounted.
Following this, four Cubans refused to disembark from another deportation flight in Liberia, citing no ties to the country and fears for their safety. Instead of returning to the United States, they were sent to Equatorial Guinea, where some reported being left without documents or legal assistance. Among them was Leonardo Sánchez Fernández, a Cuban resident in the U.S. for 16 years, whose mother reported his detention and hospitalization due to health issues.
The Broader Reach of Deportations
Africa isn't the only destination. The largest scale of this phenomenon for Cubans occurs in Mexico. A Human Rights Watch report documented that 4,353 Cuban nationals were deported from the U.S. to Mexico from January 2025 to March 2026, many without personal or family connections there.
The recent deportations to Cameroon expand the scope of a policy that has already relocated migrants to unfamiliar countries when they cannot be deported back to their homeland.
Personal Stories in the Face of Uncertainty
Among those affected is Barbara, a young Ethiopian from Tigray who fled war and had obtained a "stay of removal" from a judge, which prevented her return to Ethiopia but not her transfer to a third "safe" country. On April 28, U.S. immigration authorities moved her without warning. "The police came for me and said I had to return. I was in shock. They put me on a plane, and I landed here," she described.
Soraya, a Ghanaian woman who fled due to her sexual orientation and also had legal protection in the U.S., was sent to Cameroon on the first deportation flight, which arrived on January 15. Her situation is particularly precarious because Cameroon criminalizes same-sex relationships with penalties of up to five years in prison. "In Accra, people I know are looking for me. They want to kill me," Soraya explained. "Here, every day is the same. They just wait for us to give up and go back home. But most of us can't return."
Secretive Deals and Legal Challenges
The investigation found that the agreement between Washington and Yaoundé was initially negotiated in secrecy. The only known document is an exchange of diplomatic notes from December 2025, later disclosed by the State Department. The New York Times reported financial pressure from Washington accompanying the negotiations, threatening to withhold $30 million allocated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cameroon. These funds were transferred on January 9, six days before the arrival of the first deportation flight.
In late August, the U.S. and Cameroon held their first "Bilateral Economic and Trade Dialogue" in Yaoundé, during which Washington announced $7 billion in investments in sectors like technology, critical minerals, and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the deported individuals are challenging their status in the Cameroonian courts. Attorney Joseph Awah Fru, representing several of them, filed an appeal on August 5 with the Yaoundé Administrative Court on behalf of 36 migrants deported from the U.S. between January and May. He argues that their relocation could expose them to renewed persecution and torture. "Exactly because these individuals were granted protection in the United States, they're sent here. The U.S. needed a place to start from scratch," the lawyer stated.
The investigation also notes that Awah Fru and four journalists were briefly detained by the judicial police in February while visiting the migrant center. The reporters were reportedly forced to erase their recordings.
Legal Setbacks and Future Uncertainties
The deportations are part of former President Donald Trump's strategy of sending migrants to third countries when they cannot be returned to their original destinations. France 24 and RFI report that Washington has secured over 35 such agreements, facilitating the transfer of more than 25,000 people. However, the policy faced a legal setback last Friday when the First Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the procedure used by the Trump administration, citing insufficient prior notice and lack of opportunity to contest the transfer.
In Cameroon, the future remains uncertain for those deported. For Barbara, returning to Ethiopia is not a safe option. "I've heard there are human rights issues here. But if I go back to my country, I know what will happen; I have no other choice," she lamented.
These deportations to third countries reflect an ever-evolving immigration policy. Stay updated on all developments in our U.S. Immigration section.
Understanding the Complexities of U.S. Deportation Policies
What countries are involved in the U.S. deportation agreements?
The U.S. has reached over 35 agreements with various countries, including Cameroon and several others in Africa, for the deportation of migrants when they cannot be returned to their countries of origin.
Why are migrants being deported to third countries?
Migrants are deported to third countries when the U.S. cannot return them to their home countries due to safety concerns or lack of diplomatic agreements.
How does the deportation policy affect Cuban nationals?
Cuban nationals have been among those deported to third countries, like African nations, despite having no prior connections. This has led to legal and personal challenges for those affected.
What legal actions are being taken against these deportations?
Legal challenges have been filed in Cameroonian courts and the U.S. to contest the deportations, arguing that they expose individuals to persecution and violate their rights.