Journalists investigating President Donald Trump’s migrant deportation program in Cameroon were detained this week, with one reporter saying he was beaten during the incident. The arrests were detailed by The New York Times, which reported that four journalists and a lawyer were seized while interviewing migrants at a state-run compound in Yaoundé.
The group included freelance journalist Randy Joe Sa’ah and three others on assignment, along with Joseph Awah Fru, a lawyer representing many of the detained migrants. They were reporting on a compound identified as a detention site for African migrants recently deported from the United States by the Department of Homeland Security.
None of the deportees held there are Cameroonian citizens, according to the report. Many had received protection from American courts barring their return to their home countries, where they could face persecution.
Detention and allegations of abuse raise further questions about the program
After being taken into custody, the five were transported to judicial police headquarters. The journalists were separated and interrogated, and Sa’ah and Fru said some were held in a cell for hours. One reporter appeared to have been beaten and said police attacked him during detention. All five were later released, but authorities confiscated their phones, cameras, and laptops.
Police claimed the journalists had obtained sensitive government information, though it remains unclear whether any formal charges were filed. Cameroon’s Ministry of Justice did not respond to requests for comment, and police officials could not be reached.
The Trump administration has not publicly announced any agreement with Cameroon to accept foreign deportees. The State Department declined to comment on diplomatic communications with other governments when asked about the arrangement, as the Noem Coast Guard deportation dispute has also kept attention on how deportation logistics are being handled.
The expulsions have prompted concern from human rights advocates about transparency and due process. Several migrants held at the Yaoundé compound said they felt pressured by local authorities to return to their home countries or risk indefinite detention.
Fru said the public has a right to know where deportees who are not Cameroonian citizens are being held. He characterized the situation as lacking openness and accountability.
The Times reported that the United States has pursued agreements with willing governments to accept deportees, sometimes in exchange for financial incentives. Trump’s Venezuela detention response has added to the broader focus on how the administration is handling cases tied to removals and detention decisions. Under those arrangements, migrants have been sent to countries that may not uphold the legal protections they were granted in US courts.
Published: Feb 19, 2026 05:00 am