US Continues Secretive Deportations of Migrants to Unrelated Third Countries
The United States has deported another group of migrants to a nation they have no ties to, continuing a controversial and secretive program that critics describe as exploiting legal loopholes. On Monday, a group of third-country nationals was flown to Cameroon, following a similar deportation of nine people to the Central African nation last month.
Asylum Seekers Face Grave Danger in Unknown Destinations
One Congolese woman, who had been granted permission to stay in the United States, is now in "grave danger" after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) secretly flew her to an unknown African nation on Sunday, according to federal court documents reviewed by The Independent. Lawyers report that a group of non-Cameroonian migrants arrived on a deportation flight that landed in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, on Monday.
Alma David of the U.S.-based Novo Legal Group told The Associated Press that she and Cameroon-based lawyer Joseph Awah Fru believe there were eight third-country nationals on the plane, though they had not yet spoken to them. The lawyers are providing legal counsel to some of the nine migrants—five women and four men from various African countries—who were deported from the U.S. to Cameroon last month.
Legal Loophole Exploited to Bypass Protection Orders
"For now, my focus is handling their shock," Fru said, noting that the lawyers expect to offer counsel to the new group of deportees. David explained that deporting migrants to a third country like Cameroon, from where they could ultimately be sent to their home countries, effectively creates a legal "loophole." This is particularly concerning as eight of the nine migrants deported last month had protection orders from U.S. immigration judges, preventing their deportation to their home countries due to fears of persecution or torture—some based on sexual orientation or political activity.
"That is why the United States did not send them directly to their countries," Fru said. "Because there is cause for concern that they might be harmed, that their lives are threatened." David added that none of the nine sent to Cameroon last month, including migrants from Zimbabwe, Morocco, and Ghana, had criminal records apart from driving-related offenses.
African Nations Paid Millions in Deportation Deals
Cameroon, ruled by 93-year-old President Paul Biya since 1982, is the latest of at least seven African nations to receive deported third-country nationals under agreements with the U.S. Others include South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea. Some of these countries have received millions of dollars in payments to accept deported migrants, according to U.S. State Department documents, though details of the Cameroon agreement remain undisclosed.
The Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport roughly 300 migrants to countries other than their own across Africa, Central America, and elsewhere, as per a report from the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Internal documents reviewed by the Associated Press reveal 47 third-country agreements in various stages of negotiation, with 15 concluded and 10 near completion.
Immigration Policies Prioritized Amid Criticism
The U.S. State Department stated on Monday that it had "no comment on the details of our diplomatic communications with other governments," but emphasized that "implementing the Trump Administration's immigration policies is a top priority." The department added, "We remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America's border security." Cameroon's Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed deportations to Cameroon in January but did not provide specifics on third-country migrants or comment on the second plane. "We are applying the law as written. If a judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period," the department said. "These third-country agreements, which ensure due process under the U.S. Constitution, are essential to the safety of our homeland and the American people."
Activists Warn of Human Rights Risks
The Trump administration has used third-country deportation deals as a deterrent, warning migrants in the U.S. illegally that they could end up "in any number of third countries" if deported. It defends the practice as part of a crackdown on dangerous criminals and gang members. However, activists and lawyers argue that sending migrants to third countries with poor human rights records risks denying them due process and exposing them to abuse.
For example, last year, the U.S. deported five nationals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos to Eswatini, all convicted of serious crimes like murder and rape after serving their sentences in the U.S. Four have been held in a maximum-security prison in Eswatini for over six months without charges and without in-person lawyer access, leading to legal challenges. Eswatini, ruled by King Mswati III, Africa's last absolute monarchy, will receive $5.1 million to take up to 160 third-country deportees, amid accusations of clamping down on pro-democracy protests.
