South African authorities have arrested seven Kenyan nationals and are preparing to deport them after accusing them of working illegally on a United States government initiative that grants refugee status to white Afrikaners.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed the arrests on Wednesday, stating that the individuals were found at a centre processing applications for resettlement to the US, despite lacking the required work permits.
The incident is linked to controversy surrounding a policy announced in May by US President Donald Trump’s administration, which extended refugee status to members of the white Afrikaner minority. The policy was defended by claims that Afrikaners face discrimination and even “genocide” — allegations the South African government has consistently dismissed.
According to officials, the US government had enlisted Kenyan nationals connected to a Kenya-based Christian non-governmental organisation to travel to South Africa to assist with processing applications under the programme.
During a raid on a Johannesburg processing centre on Tuesday, authorities said the seven Kenyans were discovered working while holding only tourist visas, a clear breach of their entry conditions.
Home Affairs said the individuals were arrested, issued deportation orders and barred from re-entering South Africa for five years.
The department explained that the operation followed intelligence reports indicating that several Kenyan nationals had entered the country as tourists but had taken up unlawful employment at a facility handling applications for what it described as so-called refugees to the US.
While President Trump suspended most refugee admissions after taking office in January, his administration made an exception for Afrikaners — a decision Pretoria argues is based on unfounded claims of persecution.
In May, an initial group of around 50 Afrikaners, descendants of early European settlers, were flown to the US on a chartered plane, with more reportedly travelling later on commercial flights.
Authorities stressed that no US officials were arrested during the raid and clarified that the operation did not take place at a diplomatic location. They also said no refugee applicants were mistreated and confirmed that both US and Kenyan authorities had been engaged over the matter.
Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have worsened since Trump’s return to office, with the US criticising South Africa on several policy fronts, expelling its ambassador in March and imposing 30 percent trade tariffs.
Responding to reports of the raid, US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott described any interference with American refugee operations as “unacceptable,” adding that Washington was seeking immediate clarification and expecting full cooperation and accountability from the South African government.
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