US refugee program centre raided in South Africa

A centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, that processes applications for the United States refugee programme was raided by immigration and law‑enforcement officers, leading to the arrest of seven Kenyan nationals for working illegally. South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry said the individuals were employed at the centre alongside U.S. officials, even though they had entered the country on tourist visas that do not permit employment.

The centre was handling applications from white South Africans under a new Trump‑administration programme that gives them priority for refugee status in the United States. The South African government has contested the programme, arguing that white South Africans do not meet the criteria for refugee status because they are not subject to persecution. Nevertheless, the government has indicated it will not block their ability to apply for relocation under the U.S. scheme.

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

The seven Kenyan nationals have been issued deportation orders and banned from entering South Africa for five years. The incident is likely to heighten tensions between the United States and South Africa, which have been strained since the Trump administration criticised the South African government’s treatment of its white Afrikaner minority—a claim the South African government has rejected, citing a lack of evidence of violent persecution.

South Africa’s Foreign Ministry has opened formal diplomatic talks with the United States and Kenya to resolve the matter. The presence of foreign nationals working alongside U.S. officials has raised concerns about intent and diplomatic protocol, prompting the South African government to seek clarification. This development underscores the complexities and challenges of international refugee programmes and the need for careful coordination and adherence to diplomatic procedures.