FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES – Today, the Department of Homeland Security issued an announcement designating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon. This TPS designation will save lives by providing Cameroonians in the United States crucial protection from deportation back to a country in crisis, where continued armed conflict has killed more than 4,000 and has displaced more than 700,000 of its people. This long-fought win is credited to the leadership and persistence of Black-led immigrant groups such as the Cameroon Advocacy Network and Haitian Bridge Alliance.
“These efforts culminating in a TPS win for Cameroon is an example of how Black immigrants are fighting to dismantle the anti-Blackness intrinsic to our immigration system to secure the same protections often afforded more quickly to other populations,” said Esther Sung, Legal Director at Justice Action Center. We urge the administration to immediately publish a federal register notice to provide Cameroonians the opportunity to apply for TPS as soon as possible.
This lawful designation is a reminder that more humane processes exist and must be afforded to other Black asylum seekers. The administration should similarly designate TPS status for Ethiopia and Mauritania. Today we celebrate this win and are grateful for the leadership of Black immigrant-led organizations for the reminder of what is possible when we collectively advocate and fight for what we know is right, even in the face of discrimination and negligence.”