Thirty-six African migrants expelled from the United States to Cameroon in 2026 have filed a legal complaint in Yaoundé. The plaintiffs, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Angola, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Morocco, had previously secured legal protections in the US preventing their deportation to their home countries.

Through their legal action, they seek Cameroonian legal protection and the suspension of the bilateral migration agreement with Washington. According to their lawyer, Joseph Fru Awah, the lawsuit also aims to prevent their potential return to their countries of origin.

Lawyer Joseph Fru Awah on the legal strategy

Joseph Fru Awah: As with any court action, our hope is that the judge 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. Most importantly, we want the court to prevent Cameroon from deporting these people.

Challenging the legitimacy of the US-Cameroon migration deal

Joseph Fru Awah: I’m not equipped to discuss financial aspects of international agreements. My role as a lawyer is to examine their legal validity. While Cameroon and the United States have the sovereign right to enter such agreements, they must comply with national and international law—which is precisely what we are challenging.

The lawsuit argues that the agreement lacks proper legal foundations, violating both domestic and international legal frameworks. We are urging the court to intervene by suspending the agreement, clarifying the migrants’ legal status, and blocking any deportation orders.

The human cost behind the legal battle

Joseph Fru Awah: These migrants are severely traumatized. Take this example: within six months of their arrival, some have been hospitalized five times. Their psychological and physical state is dire—that’s why we initiated this lawsuit.