South African immigration authorities have conducted a targeted operation on a Johannesburg facility processing U.S. refugee applications, resulting in the arrest of seven Kenyan nationals for violating work visa regulations. The raid has significantly heightened diplomatic strains between the United States and South Africa.
The controversial refugee program, established during the Trump administration, prioritizes white South Africans of Afrikaner descent for refugee status in the United States. This policy stems from former President Donald Trump’s repeatedly disputed claims regarding the persecution of white minorities in South Africa.
According to South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry, the detained Kenyan citizens had entered the country on tourist visas that explicitly prohibited employment activities. Despite their immigration status, they were found working alongside American officials at the processing center. Notably, no U.S. diplomatic personnel were apprehended during Tuesday’s operation, as the facility did not hold official diplomatic protection.
The incident has prompted formal diplomatic discussions between South Africa, the United States, and Kenya. South African authorities revealed that Kenyan nationals had previously been denied work visas for this specific program, raising serious questions about the circumvention of immigration protocols.
The seven individuals face immediate deportation orders and have been barred from re-entering South Africa for a five-year period. The U.S. Embassy confirmed that refugee processing operations are handled by RSC Africa, a Kenya-based contractor operated by Church World Service, a U.S. humanitarian organization.
South Africa’s government maintains that white citizens do not meet international criteria for refugee status, citing the absence of systematic persecution, though they acknowledge the right to apply through the U.S. program.