The South African Home Affairs Ministry says immigration authorities raided a U.S. refugee processing center in Johannesburg, detaining seven Kenyans who were working on tourist visas and issuing deportation orders with five-year bans. No U.S. officials were arrested, and Pretoria says the site was not diplomatic; formal talks with the U.S. and Kenya have begun. Washington called the raid "unacceptable" and sought immediate clarification, amid broader tensions over a U.S. policy prioritizing white South Africans under a sharply reduced refugee ceiling.
South Africa Raids U.S. Refugee Processing Center in Johannesburg; Washington Protests After Seven Kenyan Workers Deported
FILE - Refugees from South Africa, arrive Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
South African immigration authorities raided a United States refugee processing center in Johannesburg on Tuesday, detaining seven Kenyan nationals who were found to be working on tourist visas and issuing them deportation orders and five-year re-entry bans, South Africa's Home Affairs Ministry said.
The ministry said no U.S. officials were arrested and described the site as not being a diplomatic premises. It added that South Africa's Foreign Ministry has opened formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve the matter.
U.S. Reaction
A U.S. State Department spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, called the action "unacceptable," saying Washington sought "immediate clarification from the South African government and expect[ed] full cooperation and accountability." The U.S. Embassy earlier said the United States contracted Kenya-based RSC Africa, run by Church World Service, to process applications from white South Africans seeking refugee status under a new U.S. program.
FILE - Refugees from South Africa arrive, Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Visa Irregularities and Diplomatic Questions
South Africa's Home Affairs Ministry said the seven Kenyans were working despite earlier visa applications for similar work having been lawfully declined. The ministry said the involvement of Kenyan staff at the U.S. processing site "raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol." It was not immediately clear whether U.S. officials were aware of the workers' visa statuses.
Political Context
The raid risks intensifying already strained relations between the two countries. Tensions have risen since the Trump administration prioritized white South Africans — particularly Afrikaners — for refugee consideration, a policy based on claims of persecution that South African authorities and many analysts say are not supported by evidence.
In October, the Trump administration cut the U.S. annual refugee ceiling to 7,500 from 125,000 and indicated that white South Africans would receive a large share of the reduced quota. South Africa has rejected assertions that Afrikaners face systematic persecution, while saying it will not prevent individuals from applying for refugee status.
What We Know
- Seven Kenyan nationals were detained and issued deportation orders and five-year bans from re-entering South Africa.
- No U.S. officials were arrested; authorities said the site was not diplomatic.
- South Africa has begun diplomatic talks with the U.S. and Kenya to resolve the incident.
- The processing operation in question was run by RSC Africa, operated by Church World Service, under contract with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
“Interfering in our refugee operations is unacceptable,” the U.S. State Department said, demanding clarification and cooperation from South African authorities.
Reporting: Imray in Cape Town contributed, with Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington. This account is based on statements from the South African Home Affairs Ministry and the U.S. State Department.
