Thirty-six African migrants expelled from the United States to Cameroon in 2026 have filed a legal complaint in Yaoundé. The plaintiffs, hailing from the DRC, Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Morocco, previously held protected status in the U.S. preventing their deportation to their home countries.

Through their legal action, they seek Cameroonian judicial protection and the suspension of the migration agreement between Yaoundé and Washington. According to their lawyer, Maître Joseph Fru Awah, the lawsuit also aims to prevent their potential repatriation to their countries of origin.

Statement from Maître Joseph Fru Awah

Joseph Fru Awah: As with any legal action, we hope the court will grant our requests. We are asking the court to suspend the exchange of notes between Cameroon and the United States and to clarify the legal status of these individuals under Cameroonian law. Additionally, we urge the court to prevent Cameroon from deporting these people.

Legal challenges and national interests

Joseph Fru Awah: I’m not here to discuss financial interests or agreements between sovereign nations—I’m an attorney focused on legality. While Cameroon and the U.S. have the right to enter agreements, any such accord must comply with national and international law. That’s precisely what we are demanding in court.

Our concern is whether this agreement is legally sound. If it is not, as we argue it violates both international and national law, we ask the court to intervene as an arbitrator: suspend the agreement, clarify the legal status of these claimants, and prevent Cameroon from deporting them.

Living conditions of expelled migrants in Cameroon

Joseph Fru Awah: These individuals are deeply traumatized. Take this example: within six months of arriving, some have been hospitalized five times. Their situation is dire, and that is precisely why we initiated legal proceedings.