Cameroonian Deportations FOIA Requests

At a Glance

Date Filed: 

October 13, 2021

Current Status 

The Court issued its opinion on summary judgment March 13, 2024, ordering ICE and DHS to do new searches for records.

Co-Counsel 

Client(s) 

Project South

Case Description 

Cameroon is in the midst of an intense civil war that has displaced 700,000 people and left 3.9 million in need of humanitarian support. Cameroonian security forces have been responsible for extrajudicial killings and torture. The Cameroonian asylum seekers deported in October and November 2020 are at risk and claim that they were tortured and forcibly deported from the U.S. despite having viable asylum claims. Advocates in the U.S. created the coalition Alliance in Defense of Black Immigrants to stop future deportations and stay in contact with and support people who have been deported to Cameroon. As part of their efforts to support the people who have already been deported, push for accountability, and seek and protective status for people from Cameroon, advocates from the coalition asked the Center for Constitutional Rights to submit FOIA requests to learn more about who was on the 2020 deportation flights and why the flights occurred despite the fact that Cameroon is clearly experiencing a civil war.

These FOIAs are in partnership with Project South and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and were submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of the Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and the Department of State (DOS) for records and data concerning the recent increase of ICE removals of Cameroonians into an area of known violent conflict. Information obtained from the FOIA requests will help advocates strengthen their policy campaign and educational materials to stop deportations to Cameroon and fight for the return of the asylum seekers deported in October and November 2020. The FOIA requests focus on (1) data regarding the demographic information of persons on deportation flights to Cameroon between August 2020 and the inauguration of President Biden on January 20, 2021, including the nature and status of immigration relief requested; (2) correspondence among ICE officials and relevant consular officials regarding removals of Cameroonians and conditions in Cameroon.

This FOIA case and accompanying advocacy support is being done in partnership with members of the Alliance in Defense of Black Immigrants coalition, which is comprised of interfaith groups, community advocates, family members of Cameroonians in detention and those deported, and other organizations like SPLC, Families for Freedom, and Haitian Bridge Alliance.

Case Timeline

March 13, 2024
Court issues opinion and order on summary judgment
March 13, 2024
Court issues opinion and order on summary judgment
May 26, 2023
Government files summary judgment cross-motion
May 26, 2023
Government files summary judgment cross-motion
Defendants cross-move for summary judgment.
February 6, 2023
Center for Constitutional Rights, SPLC, Project South release briefing guide highlighting key documents
February 6, 2023
Center for Constitutional Rights, SPLC, Project South release briefing guide highlighting key documents
July 7, 2022
Magistrate judge orders ICE and State to increase level of document production
July 7, 2022
Magistrate judge orders ICE and State to increase level of document production
Following a status update by the parties, the judge issues an order on document production.
October 13, 2021
Complaint filed in federal court
October 13, 2021
Complaint filed in federal court
Complaint filed in the Southern District of New York.
April 26, 2021
FOIA requests sent to federal agencies
April 26, 2021
FOIA requests sent to federal agencies
FOIAs sent to Department of State, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office for Immigration Review.