In response to the ongoing armed conflict and human rights violations in Cameroon, the United States has announced an extension of temporary deportation relief status for Cameroonian nationals living in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has redesignated Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), granting an 18-month extension from December 8, 2023, to June 7, 2025. This extension also permits Cameroonian students to apply for work permits.
Last year, Cameroonians were granted TPS status, which provides immigrants unable to return to their home countries due to extraordinary circumstances the opportunity to reside and work in the United States.
The conflict in northwest Cameroon, where separatists have been fighting against the predominantly French-speaking government since 2017, has led to the goal of establishing an independent state known as Ambazonia. The violence, triggered by the suppression of protests, has claimed the lives of more than 6,000 individuals in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions. Additionally, the Islamist group Boko Haram has been conducting an insurgency in the region.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the U.S.’s commitment to offering safety and protection to Cameroonian nationals who cannot safely return to their homeland due to the ongoing armed conflict and exceptional temporary conditions, including human rights abuses.
The TPS extension allows the approximately 2,090 individuals currently covered by the program to remain in the United States until June 7, 2025. Additionally, an estimated 7,900 more Cameroonians residing in the U.S. will be eligible to apply for TPS under this extension, according to DHS.
