JOHANNESBURG - A center in Johannesburg, South Africa, processing applications for the United States refugee program was raided by immigration and law enforcement officers. As a result, seven Kenyan nationals were arrested for working illegally, as reported by South Africa's Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday.
The center was specifically handling applications from white South Africans under a new program introduced during the Trump administration, which prioritized them for refugee status in the U.S. The circumstances surrounding the raid and the arrests have raised concerns about the legality and procedures involved in the processing of these applications.
The seven Kenyans had entered South Africa on tourist visas, which do not permit them to engage in employment. Despite this, they were found working at the application center alongside U.S. officials. Importantly, the Home Affairs Ministry clarified that no U.S. officials were arrested during the raid on Tuesday, and the center was not classified as a diplomatic site.
This incident is poised to escalate tensions between the United States and South Africa. U.S. President Donald Trump has been vocally critical of the South African government since his return to office, alleging that the country is violently persecuting its white Afrikaner minority and pursuing an anti-American foreign policy.
Trump's controversial claims regarding the treatment of Afrikaners in South Africa, which have been largely rejected, led to the establishment of a program that offers these individuals expedited refugee status in the U.S. However, the South African government has consistently asserted that white South Africans do not meet the necessary criteria for refugee status, citing a lack of persecution. Nevertheless, officials noted that these individuals are not barred from applying for relocation under the U.S. program.
The South African Home Affairs Ministry did not disclose the specific employer of the Kenyan nationals, but it is known that the U.S. government contracted RSC Africa, a Kenya-based company, to facilitate the processing of refugee applications from white South Africans. RSC Africa is managed by Church World Service, a well-known U.S.-based non-governmental organization focused on humanitarian assistance and refugee support globally.
According to the South African Home Affairs Ministry's statement, the Kenyan nationals had previously been denied work visas to support the U.S. refugee program. This raises questions regarding the rationale behind these individuals working at the refugee application center while in the country on tourist visas. The Ministry highlighted concerns about the diplomatic protocols involved, particularly due to the apparent coordination with undocumented workers.
In response to the situation, South Africa's Foreign Ministry has initiated formal diplomatic discussions with both the United States and Kenya to address the issues stemming from the raid and the arrests. The Kenyan nationals received deportation orders and were subsequently banned from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years.
This event marks a significant moment in the ongoing relationship between South Africa and the United States regarding refugee policies and bilateral agreements, bringing to light not only the legal frameworks at play but also the complexities of international diplomacy in humanitarian contexts.
