In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, a former government compound has been converted into a temporary migrant shelter, providing refuge to those displaced and struggling to find their footing. Among them is Barbara*, who fled persecution in Ethiopia only to find herself unexpectedly deported to Cameroon.
Barbara was forcibly removed from the US on April 28, 2026, after she had been granted “withholding of removal,” a protection preventing her from being sent back to her home country on the grounds of potential persecution. “I was so shocked. They put me on a plane, and I landed here,” she recalled. The shelter houses around 20 individuals, including Soraya*, who escaped threats in Ghana due to her sexual orientation. Both women express feelings of isolation in a place where they know few, and the predominant language is French.
The conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region forced Barbara to leave her homeland after the outbreak of war, which resulted in significant casualties. Her journey led her through Brazil to the US, where she was detained at a Louisiana immigration centre. Months later, despite her legal protection, she was abruptly deported to Cameroon, which was entirely unfamiliar to her.
The shelter in Yaoundé currently accommodates migrants from numerous African nations, each with their stories of fleeing violence or persecution. Soraya explained that she fled Ghana after her family discovered her sexual orientation, stating, “In Accra, people I know are looking for me. They want me dead.” She, too, had received US protection prior to her deportation.
Legal loopholes allow the US government to deport individuals who have received protections, considering the countries to which they are sent as “safe.” With over 35 such agreements made, the Trump administration expedited the deportation of more than 25,000 people to various nations, including Cameroon.
The terms of these agreements remain largely undisclosed, with critics noting a lack of transparency and scrutiny from legislative bodies. Legal representatives like Joseph Awah Fru assert that these migrants are treated poorly, often seen as prisoners rather than individuals seeking asylum. With their passports confiscated, many deportees feel trapped and are often threatened with the threat of return to their homelands.
While Barbara and Soraya hope to obtain asylum in Cameroon with the help of their lawyer, there remains a significant uncertainty about their future. Living in a politically and socially oppressive environment, they face daily challenges, knowing that returning home is not an option due to the threats against them. “Here, we wake up and each day is like the day before it,” Soraya lamented.
In a grim twist, Cameroon enforces stricter laws against homosexuality than Ghana, presenting an additional hurdle for deportees such as Soraya, who face persecution on multiple fronts.
*Names have been changed at the interviewees’ request.
