By Gloria Nosa
The United States has quietly carried out the removal of nine migrants to Cameroon as part of its expanding third-country deportation framework, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The individuals involved were not citizens of Cameroon. Sources cited in the report indicate they were flown out on January 14 aboard a Department of Homeland Security aircraft departing from Alexandria, Louisiana. The migrants allegedly were not informed of their destination until shortly before arrival, after they had been restrained during transport.
So far, there has been no formal public announcement confirming an agreement between U.S. authorities and the Cameroonian government to facilitate such transfers. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and Cameroon’s Ministry of External Affairs have not issued detailed statements clarifying the arrangement.
Cameroon is now reportedly among a growing list of African nations—including Rwanda and Eswatini—that have accepted migrants deported from the United States despite those individuals having no citizenship ties to the receiving countries. These third-country arrangements are generally used in cases where deportees cannot be sent back to their nations of origin due to diplomatic obstacles, lack of proper identification documents, or security-related complications.
The approach has sparked significant legal and humanitarian debate within the United States. Immigration attorneys and advocacy organisations argue that transferring migrants to countries where they have no prior connection could undermine legal safeguards, particularly for those with pending asylum claims or other forms of temporary protection.
Several federal courts have already intervened in related cases, temporarily blocking removals while judges assess whether deportees could face persecution, danger, or violations of international protections such as the principle of non-refoulement. Human rights groups maintain that the practice raises serious ethical and legal questions about due process and the safety of affected individuals.
For President Donald Trump, expanding third-country deportation deals is consistent with his broader immigration agenda. Since returning to office, his administration has emphasised accelerating deportations and strengthening border enforcement, especially in situations where migrants’ home governments are unwilling or slow to accept their return.
