Van Hollen, Ivey Lead Bicameral Letter Urging Administration to Continue Legal Protections for Cameroonians in the U.S. Who Have Fled Violence, Humanitarian Disaster
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) sent a bicameral letter with over 30 of their colleagues to President Donald Trump urging the Administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Cameroonians living legally in the United States, as ongoing violence, instability, and humanitarian crises continue to pose a grave threat to anyone returning to Cameroon. In their letter, the lawmakers highlight that extending and redesignating these protections for Cameroonians already in the U.S. advances American interests in supporting counterterrorism efforts and strengthening our economy.
In addition to Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Ivey, the letter was signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Representatives André Carson (D-Ind.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), and Marc Veasey (D-Texas).
“We write to urgently request that your administration continue to provide temporary humanitarian protections for Cameroonian nationals living in the United States by redesignating and extending the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ongoing violence, human rights violations, and humanitarian crises in Cameroon continue to place its citizens at severe risk. Continuing TPS protection for Cameroonians already residing in the United States is not only a humanitarian imperative but also aligns with the United States’ broader interests, including economic stability, security, and regional leadership,” the lawmakers began.
“The dire situation in Cameroon has not improved. In its 2023 Report on Human Rights Practices for Cameroon, the State Department stated, in no uncertain terms, that ‘[t]here was no significant changes in the human rights situation in Cameroon during the year,’” they continued. “The State Department has also documented the targeting of Christian communities, including church burnings, abductions, and killings. The violence has led to the closure of over half of the schools in the affected areas, leaving 250,000 children without an education. Due to these extraordinary and temporary conditions, Cameroon remains an unsafe place for its nationals to return to, and it would be inconsistent with humanitarian principles to make them do so.”
The lawmakers also pointed to the national security and economic implications of this decision writing, “Extending and redesignating TPS to Cameroonian nationals also aligns with U.S. national security interests by supporting counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad Basin and Central Africa. […] extending TPS to Cameroonian nationals promotes U.S. foreign policy objectives and demonstrates U.S. commitment to safeguarding individuals from conflict and persecution while promoting regional stability in Central Africa.” Additionally they noted, “TPS recipients have historically maintained high employment rates, with over 80% participating in the workforce. Cameroonian TPS holders specifically contribute to critical industries such as healthcare, construction, and transportation—sectors facing severe workforce shortages, which Cameroonian nationals in these roles help address.”
“It is warranted and urgently necessary that your administration maintain temporary humanitarian protections for Cameroonian nationals living in the United States by extending and redesignating the country for Temporary Protected Status. The country’s worsening security situation, combined with its ongoing humanitarian crises and human rights abuses, makes return impossible for many Cameroonian nationals. By continuing TPS, the United States will be protecting its national security interests, supporting the American economy, and providing essential protection to those who need it most,” the lawmakers concluded.
A copy of the letter is available here and below.
Dear President Trump,
We write to urgently request that your administration continue to provide temporary humanitarian protections for Cameroonian nationals living in the United States by redesignating and extending the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ongoing violence, human rights violations, and humanitarian crises in Cameroon continue to place its citizens at severe risk. Continuing TPS protection for Cameroonians already residing in the United States is not only a humanitarian imperative but also aligns with the United States’ broader interests, including economic stability, security, and regional leadership.
Cameroon was originally designated for TPS on June 7, 2022, due to the extreme violence between government forces and armed separatists, the deadly attacks by the terrorist organization Boko Haram, and reported human rights violations and abuses committed against the people by the government. The Department of Homeland Security later extended the TPS designation and simultaneously redesignated Cameroon for TPS, citing the ongoing armed conflict, the secessionist crisis, human rights abuses by members of armed groups and forces, food insecurity, the spread of disease, and mass displacement that continued to prevent Cameroonian nationals from returning and residing in the country safely.
The dire situation in Cameroon has not improved. In its 2023 Report on Human Rights Practices for Cameroon, the State Department stated, in no uncertain terms, that “[t]here was no significant changes in the human rights situation in Cameroon during the year.” The violence from Anglophone separatists and Boko Haram continues to disrupt civilian life. Separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions clash with government forces resulting in unlawful killings, abductions, and widespread human rights violations. Meanwhile, the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North region further exacerbates instability. The country has also suffered economic collapse, displacement of citizens, and destruction of infrastructure. Nearly 1 million people have been displaced within the country, and humanitarian aid remains severely limited, with over 1.8 million people needing urgent assistance. As of late 2024, parts of Cameroon are also grappling with a cholera outbreak and rampant food insecurity, further exacerbating the suffering of its citizens. The State Department has also documented the targeting of Christian communities, including church burnings, abductions, and killings. The violence has led to the closure of over half of the schools in the affected areas, leaving 250,000 children without an education. Due to these extraordinary and temporary conditions, Cameroon remains an unsafe place for its nationals to return to, and it would be inconsistent with humanitarian principles to make them do so.
Extending and redesignating TPS to Cameroonian nationals also aligns with U.S. national security interests by supporting counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad Basin and Central Africa. Cameroon remains a critical partner in counterterrorism efforts against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), both of which continue to launch attacks on civilians and security forces in the region. Instability in Cameroon—marked by ongoing violence and economic collapse—provides a breeding ground for terrorist recruitment. The U.S. Department of State has recognized that instability and forced displacement contribute to extremist groups gaining power, exploiting vulnerable populations to bolster their ranks. By allowing Cameroonian nationals to remain in the U.S. under TPS, the U.S. prevents the forced return of individuals to a volatile environment where they may be at risk of radicalization or targeted recruitment by terrorist organizations. Therefore, extending TPS to Cameroonian nationals promotes U.S. foreign policy objectives and demonstrates U.S. commitment to safeguarding individuals from conflict and persecution while promoting regional stability in Central Africa.
TPS for Cameroonian nationals directly benefits the U.S. economy, as well. TPS recipients have historically maintained high employment rates, with over 80% participating in the workforce. Cameroonian TPS holders specifically contribute to critical industries such as healthcare, construction, and transportation—sectors facing severe workforce shortages, which Cameroonian nationals in these roles help address. Furthermore, rather than being a burden on government programs, TPS holders are taxpaying, productive members of society. A report from the American Immigration Council found that TPS holders contribute billions of dollars in wages and earnings annually. Like all TPS recipients, the thousands of Cameroonian nationals residing in the U.S. pay taxes, bolstering federal and state tax revenues. Given the ongoing crises in Cameroon, extending TPS allows eligible individuals to continue supporting the U.S. economy while remaining protected from returning to conditions where they would face serious threats to their safety and well-being.
It is warranted and urgently necessary that your administration maintain temporary humanitarian protections for Cameroonian nationals living in the United States by extending and redesignating the country for Temporary Protected Status. The country’s worsening security situation, combined with its ongoing humanitarian crises and human rights abuses, makes return impossible for many Cameroonian nationals. By continuing TPS, the United States will be protecting its national security interests, supporting the American economy, and providing essential protection to those who need it most.
We thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,