Attorney Joseph Ava Fru, representing the interests of half of the deportees, reported that the first nine individuals were transferred from a detention center in Louisiana last month, while the remaining eight arrived on February 16. Among them are citizens of Ghana, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, and Senegal, while two Moroccan citizens chose to return to their homeland; the others remain in Cameroon.
Lawyers report that many of the deported individuals are in critical psychological condition.
According to U.S. law, migrants who may face persecution in their home countries can only be sent to a third country by court order. Attorneys claim that the court recognized the high risk of persecution for their clients and prohibited their deportation.
Elma David, one of the lawyers, stated that the migrants were deported without prior notice and without the opportunity to appeal the decision.
Recently, attorney Fru brought journalists, including staff from the Associated Press, to the facility to communicate with the migrants. However, police detained him and four journalists, confiscated their equipment, accusing them of illegally obtaining classified information. After several hours, they were released, but the equipment was not returned.
The details of the agreement between the U.S. and Cameroon regarding the reception of deportees are not disclosed. U.S. State Department representatives declined to comment on the legal status of the deported individuals.
As noted by WSJ, this situation has sparked criticism within Cameroon, where President Paul Biya is accused of turning the country into a "recipient" for deported migrants.
It was previously reported that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to convert 23 industrial buildings into migrant detention centers that could accommodate up to 80,000 people. These plans have raised concerns among local residents and authorities due to potential living conditions and infrastructure issues.
