A centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, processing applications for the United States refugee program, was raided by immigration and law enforcement officers, resulting in the arrest of seven Kenyan nationals for working illegally. According to South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry, the individuals were employed at the centre alongside US officials, despite entering the country on tourist visas that did not permit them to work.

The centre was facilitating applications from white South Africans under a new program introduced by the Trump administration, which gives them priority for refugee status in the US. The program has been a point of contention, with the South African government stating that white South Africans do not meet the criteria for refugee status due to the absence of persecution. However, the government has indicated that it will not hinder their ability to apply for relocation under the US program.

The US government had contracted a Kenya-based company, RSC Africa, to process the refugee applications. RSC Africa is operated by Church World Service, a US-based non-governmental organisation that provides humanitarian aid and refugee assistance worldwide. The Home Affairs Ministry has questioned why the Kenyan nationals, who had previously been denied visas to work on the program, were allowed to work at the centre on tourist visas.

The incident is likely to escalate tensions between the US and South Africa, which have been strained since the Trump administration’s criticism of the South African government’s treatment of its white Afrikaner minority. The South African government has rejected these claims, stating that there is no evidence of violent persecution.

The seven Kenyan nationals have been issued deportation orders and banned from entering South Africa for a period of five years. The South African Foreign Ministry has initiated formal diplomatic engagements with the US and Kenya to resolve the matter. The presence of foreign nationals working alongside US officials has raised concerns about intent and diplomatic protocol, and the South African government is seeking clarification on the issue. The development highlights the complexities and challenges associated with international refugee programs and the need for careful coordination and adherence to diplomatic protocols.