South Africa Moves to Deport Seven Kenyans Linked to U.S. Refugee Processing Work
According to a USCIS spokesperson and a person familiar with the matter, the two were neither charged nor detained long after they were released.
The plane carrying the first group of white South Africans granted refugee status for being deemed victims of racial discrimination under U.S. President Trump's Refugee plan, arrives at Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., May 12, 2025. Photo/Courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
Seven Kenyan nationals arrested for illegally participating in the processing of refugee application cases for the United States government have been arrested for deportation by the South African government. The deportation comes after the group was arrested in an operation on Tuesday for operating without the necessary documents to allow them to work in the country.
During the same mission, two officers from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) were detained by the South African government before they were released. According to a USCIS spokesperson and a person familiar with the matter, the two were neither charged nor detained long after they were released. The South African government has since denied the arrest of any American citizen.
The matter has triggered strong response from the American government. Although the USCIS did not immediately release an official comment on the matter, the US State Department spokesperson found the incident “unacceptable.” This is to express their concern on the treatment of staff associated with the US Refugee programs. According to the US State Department spokesperson, the US is currently seeking clarification from the South African government.
This is coming amid a controversial U.S. relocation program introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, which seeks to move thousands of whites of South African descent to the United States because they purportedly experience racial persecution in South Africa – an accusation the South African government denies as completely misleading. The project was launched earlier this year.
According to information posted on the United States embassy’s web site, RSC Africa, which is a Kenyan refugee organization run by Church World Service, handles refugee case processing for victims within South Africa. The seven Kenyan nationals immigrated to South Africa through tourist visas, upon which they got employment as employees at a refugee processing center, which is an offense against immigration and labor laws as stated by the South African government.
The Ministry of Home Affairs explained that previous applications filed on behalf of Kenyan nationals that were seeking to engage in such work had all been rejected, making it illegal for these persons to work in South Africa. The above was according to a statement provided by the minister.
The international diplomatic repercussions resulting from the incident will add to the pre-existing tensions between South Africa and the USA. During his second term as President, President Trump had levied several charges of ill-treatment of the white minority by the South African Government, which Pretoria maintained was false. This was earlier used by the USA as a reason to withhold assistance as well as not include South Africa in international gatherings such as the G-20 group.
In reaction to the development, the South African government indicated that it had initiated diplomatic channels with both the US and the Kenyan government in a bid to have the issues resolved. The officials questioned the involvement of foreign officials’ side by side with the undocumented workers, thus raising issues in relation to intent and diplomatic protocols. At the same time, a representative of the foreign affairs ministry in Kenya claimed that she was not aware of the incident at the time but that the foreign ministry would look into the issue. The issue illustrates the escalating tensions between the three countries regarding immigration, refugees, and foreign relations.
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