Journalists Arrested in Cameroon While Reporting on Trump's Secretive Deportation Program

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Reposted by Mike Masnick
https://bsky.app/profile/masnick.com

Joshua J. Friedman
‪@joshuajfriedman.com‬

"An Associated Press reporter was beaten by the police and detained along with three other journalists on Tuesday in Cameroon while reporting on a secretive Trump administration program to deport migrants to the Central African country, according to two of the people detained." (gift link)

Journalists Arrested in Cameroon While Reporting on Trump’s Secretive Deportation Program
www.nytimes.com
6:10 PM · Feb 18, 2026

"An Associated Press reporter was beaten by the police and detained along with three other journalists on Tuesday in Cameroon while reporting on a secretive Trump administration program to deport migrants to the Central African country, according to two of the people detained." (gift link)

— Joshua J. Friedman (@joshuajfriedman.com) 2026-02-18T23:10:37.020Z

[malaise]

1. Important

Rec

[niyad]

2. Outraged, sickened, unsurprised KNR.

[Scrivener7]

3. Cameroon. Damn.

I've said here before that a family friend was picked up by ICE a few days ago. Young sweet kid, 20, college student, really promising future. He was a DACA kid, but that's gone now.

His parents and friends are devastated, and all you can do is wonder, "What is happening to him now?"

The best we can hope at this point is that he goes to his country of origin where there are relations he's never met, but still they're there. God forbid he gets sent to one of these countries with only the clothes on his back where he knows no one.

My sister pointed out that he may never see his family again. They can't get out and he can't get in.

It's devastating.

[KS Toronado]

4. He'll get reunited with his family in this country when we own the White House

Granted that is still years away.

[Scrivener7]

5. I hope so. But I can't stop thinking about it. He's a young, strong boy, and I have a hard

time thinking about what is happening to him.

But what about the old people who were dragged away without medications they depend on?

What if you're a young pretty girl in the hands of ICE, many of whom are criminals and domestic abusers?

I shudder to think about what is going on in the concentration camps on a daily basis.

How many of them won't make it till we're back in power?

[Multichromatic]

12. I hope that if we have our own Nuremberg Trials these Fascist are thrown under the prison.

I feel like this will end up being like the atrocities the Nazis committed. When concentration camps are opened up the world will be shocked. Everyone will ask how did America let this happen.

I pray that I'm wrong.

[MadameButterfly]

6. Normally you could count on the US government to rescue American reporters

from foreign police brutality. This time, it's likely the police are operating on Trump's behalf. How do we raise enough publicity to make it worth it for our government to bring these guys home?

Imagine the courage it takes to do what they are doing. Without them, we are clueless as to what is going on.

And kudos to the reporting that is getting this story out.

[Bengus81]

7. Yep...they are doing Trumps bidding. Wouldn't take much cash to buy off people in Cameroon

[MadameButterfly]

8. So, who has the power to get these journalists out

and bring them home?

[Bengus81]

9. Everyone in Congress should be on this but Trumps sycophants won't do it

[MadameButterfly]

11. Will the Associated Press raise hell?

And the journalists families, of course. Trump sycophants won't help, but maybe their are the necessary 3 who don't want journalists to rot in a foreign prison?

[orangecrush]

10. So, are we still going to "look forward"

When this is over?

[Scrivener7]

13. There's no moving forward until everything is out.