Rights Groups Sue to Stop US Deportations to Equatorial Guinea
Rights groups filed a lawsuit to halt US deportations to Equatorial Guinea over alleged abuses.
Why it matters: This lawsuit highlights legal challenges to US immigration policies involving third-country deportations, crucial for in-house counsel and immigration lawyers navigating human rights compliance.
- 14 African migrants deported by the US to Equatorial Guinea from Nov 2025 to Apr 2026 are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
- The US paid Equatorial Guinea $7.5 million to accept deportees under a third-country removal agreement.
- Deportees face indefinite detention in a Malabo hotel, raising human rights abuse allegations.
- Some deportees previously received US Convention Against Torture protections.
- Lawsuit filed June 5, 2026, before the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/hotel-trump-deportation-equatorial-guinea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guardian report</a> covers conditions and legal claims.
On June 5, 2026, a coalition of rights groups filed a suit before the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights challenging the US-Equatorial Guinea deportation program. The groups argue this violates deportees' rights by returning them to a country where they face arbitrary detention and persecution.
The lawsuit involves 14 African migrants deported by the US between November 2025 and April 2026. They come from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mauritania, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Chad. Despite some having prior protections under the US Convention Against Torture (CAT), these individuals have been detained indefinitely in a hotel in Malabo, the Equatorial Guinean capital, raising serious human rights concerns.
The US government paid Equatorial Guinea $7.5 million under a third-country deportation agreement to transfer noncitizen deportees outside their origin countries. Reports state nine detainees remain at imminent risk of further expulsion.
Bella Mosselmans, Director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council, said the individuals have been "effectively rendered stateless". Meredyth Yoon from Advancing Justice-Atlanta called for the US to "withdraw from these agreements to stop exporting inhumane mass deportation policies." The organizations emphasize the violation of the principle of non-refoulement — not returning individuals to places where they face threats to life or freedom.
The case spotlights complex intersections between immigration enforcement, international human rights law, and diplomatic relations. Legal professionals should monitor developments as US third-country deportation practices face increasing scrutiny for compliance with domestic and international obligations.
By the numbers:
- 14 — African migrants deported to Equatorial Guinea and plaintiffs in lawsuit
- $7.5 million — US payment to Equatorial Guinea under deportation agreement
- June 5, 2026 — Date lawsuit filed before the African Commission
Yes, but: The lawsuit relies on international human rights law, but the US government maintains that third-country deportations comply with domestic law and bilateral agreements, presenting potential legal challenges ahead.
What's next: The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights will review the case, with possible rulings influencing US immigration enforcement and future third-country deportation agreements.