South Africa has accused the United States of hiring Kenyan nationals without work permits at a facility that processes refugee claims from white South Africans.
South Africa’s Home Office said in a statement that seven Kenyans had been arrested following intelligence reports that “people who had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas had begun working illegally.”
The BBC has approached the US State Department for comment.
The United States is trying to reduce overall migration levels, but has said members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner community may receive asylum because they face persecution. The South African government strongly rejected this claim.
The United States has reduced the number of refugees it receives from around the world annually from 125,000 to 7,500, but has said it will prioritize Afrikaners, most of whom are descendants of Dutch and French settlers.
South Africa said Tuesday that Kenyan nationals arrested in the raid would now be deported and banned from entering the country for five years.
They had previously been denied work visas but were found to have “clearly violated their entry conditions by engaging in work despite holding only tourist visas,” the statement said.
South Africa said the raids demonstrated its shared commitment “with the United States to fight against illegal immigration and all forms of visa abuse.”
It added that “formal diplomatic relations” had begun with both the United States and Kenya.
U.S. officials said no arrests had been made and the operation did not take place at a diplomatic location.
