32 asylum seekers granted US protection detained in Equatorial Guinea hotel, 25 forced back to unsafe countries
May 28, 2026·Location: Malabo, GQ

Under a $7.5 million Trump administration agreement, Equatorial Guinea has detained at least 32 asylum seekers at the Bamy Hotel on Bioko Island since November 2025. All detainees had previously been granted some form of protection by U.S. judges. Twenty-five have been forcibly returned to their African countries of origin—Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Mauritania—where they face persecution, while others remain detained and under pressure to leave. Detainees report psychological distress, inadequate medical care, threats from authorities, and monotonous conditions. Human rights advocates argue the deal exploits a loophole to circumvent U.S. court protections and international asylum norms.
Timeline
Sources
- abcnews.com
- Inside the Bamy Hotel: Asylum Seekers Deported From the U.S. Held in Equatorial Guinea
crbcnews.com·May 28, 2026·archived copy
- Inside an African hotel where asylum seekers deported by the US are imprisoned
- Entrapped Asylum Seekers: Inside Equatorial Guinea's Controversial Deal | Law-Order
- Exclusive: Inside an African hotel where asylum seekers deported by the US are imprisoned
audacy.com·May 28, 2026·archived copy
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