Seven Kenyan nationals were arrested during an operation targeting alleged illegal employment at a facility handling US-bound refugee applications in Johannesburg
The US has demanded answers from the South African government following a raid on a facility processing US-bound refugee applications in Johannesburg, during which seven Kenyan nationals were arrested.
According to CNN, the US government is “seeking immediate clarification from the South African government” and expects “full cooperation and accountability,” State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott was quoted as saying.
”We’ll have more to say once all the facts are confirmed, but the Trump Administration will always stand up for US interests, US personnel, and the rule of law,” Pigott told CNN. ”Interfering in our refugee operations is unacceptable.”
Earlier on Wednesday, IOL reported that the Department of Home Affairs has arrested seven Kenyan nationals for illegally working in South Africa while in possession of tourist visas, following an intelligence-driven operation in Johannesburg.
According to a media statement issued on Wednesday, the operation was conducted in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies after intelligence reports indicated that Kenyan nationals had recently entered the country on tourist visas and taken up employment at a centre processing applications for “refugees” to the United States.
In October, IOL reported that amid the diplomatic row with Pretoria, the United States had upended decades of refugee and humanitarian policy. In a formal Presidential Determination dated 30 September 2025, published in the Federal Register, President Donald Trump set a ceiling of 7,500 refugees for the 2026 fiscal year — the lowest limit in US history — and directed that most of those places be reserved for Afrikaners from South Africa.
On Wednesday, the Department of Home Affairs said applications submitted for Kenyan nationals to legally perform the work of vetting US-bound refugees in South Africa had previously been declined, yet the individuals were found engaging in employment in violation of their visa conditions.
The seven Kenyan nationals were arrested, issued with deportation orders and will be barred from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years. The department said the operation was carried out lawfully and in line with procedures that have seen deportations intensify over the past 18 months, as the government seeks to curb long-standing abuse of the immigration and visa system.
Home Affairs stressed that no United States officials were arrested during the operation, which was not conducted at a diplomatic site. The department also said no members of the public or prospective “refugees” were harassed.
However, Home Affairs said the presence of foreign officials allegedly coordinating with undocumented workers raised concerns around intent and diplomatic protocol. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has since initiated formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to address the matter.