The United States has executed a second deportation flight transporting non-Cameroonian nationals to Yaoundé, according to legal representatives familiar with the matter. This development follows the recent revelation that nine African migrants from various countries were secretly relocated to Cameroon in January through a controversial immigration program.
US-based attorney Alma David of Novo Legal Group confirmed the arrival of eight third-country nationals aboard Monday’s flight to the Cameroonian capital. Both David and Cameroon-based lawyer Joseph Awah Fru, who are providing legal assistance to the previously deported group, anticipate extending counsel to the newly arrived deportees.
“My immediate priority is addressing their state of shock,” Fru stated regarding the psychological impact on deportees.
The Trump administration’s program, which involves transferring migrants to nations without established connections, has drawn significant criticism after documents revealed that eight of the nine individuals deported in January possessed protection orders from US immigration judges. These judicial protections prohibited their return to home countries due to credible fears of persecution, torture, or violence—particularly concerning LGBTQ+ individuals and political activists.
Cameroon becomes the latest participant in a series of agreements with at least seven African nations, including South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea. State Department records indicate that some countries have received multimillion-dollar payments to accept deported migrants, though specific terms of the Cameroon arrangement remain undisclosed.
According to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report compiled by Democratic staff, the administration has allocated approximately $40 million to deport nearly 300 migrants to non-native countries across Africa and Central America. Internal documents reviewed by the AP reveal 47 third-country agreements in various negotiation stages, with 15 finalized and 10 nearing completion.
The State Department declined to comment on diplomatic communications but affirmed that “implementing the Trump Administration’s immigration policies remains a top priority,” emphasizing their “unwavering commitment to end illegal and mass immigration.”
Human rights advocates express grave concerns that deporting migrants to countries with documented human rights abuses—particularly under Cameroon’s long-standing President Paul Biya—creates risks of denied due process and potential mistreatment. This concern echoes the situation in Eswatini, where four deportees have been held without charges in maximum-security confinement for over six months despite completing US criminal sentences.