without permits at a facility handling refugee applications for white South Africans seeking asylum in the US. The accusation has added fresh fuel to already strained diplomatic relations between Pretoria and Washington.
According to South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, seven Kenyan nationals were arrested during a raid on Tuesday after intelligence reports revealed they had entered the country on tourist visas but were illegally employed at the refugee processing centre. Authorities said the individuals had previously been denied work visas and were therefore in clear violation of South Africa’s immigration laws. The department confirmed that the workers will be deported and barred from re-entering the country for five years.
The processing centre in question is operated by RSC Africa, a Kenya-based refugee support organisation run by Church World Service (CWS), which is contracted to handle refugee applications on behalf of the US government. The US embassy in South Africa confirmed RSC Africa’s role, while the BBC said it had contacted the organisation for comment.
In response to the arrests, the United States pushed back strongly, accusing South Africa of interfering in its refugee operations. In a statement quoted by US media, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Washington was seeking “immediate clarification” and expected “full cooperation and accountability” from the South African government. He described the raid as unacceptable interference, although South African officials stressed that no US diplomats were arrested and that the operation did not take place at a diplomatic site.
South Africa, however, framed the raid as part of its broader commitment to fighting illegal immigration and visa abuse. The Home Affairs Department also expressed concern that foreign officials may have coordinated with undocumented workers, adding that it had reached out to both the US and Kenyan governments to resolve the issue diplomatically.
At the heart of the dispute is the controversial US decision to prioritise white Afrikaners for refugee status. The US government claims that Afrikaners, who are largely descendants of Dutch and French settlers, are facing persecution in South Africa. Pretoria has firmly rejected this narrative, insisting there is no evidence that white farmers are more likely to be victims of crime than black South Africans.
The issue has become even more politically charged under US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that Afrikaners are victims of a “genocide” in South Africa — a claim widely disputed by experts and South African authorities. Earlier this year, Trump offered Afrikaners refugee status shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a law allowing land expropriation without compensation in rare cases. The South African government maintains that no land has yet been seized under the law.
Despite drastically cutting its annual refugee intake from 125,000 to 7,500, the US has said it will prioritise Afrikaners. Around 50 white South Africans have already reportedly flown to the US on a chartered flight, though it remains unclear how many more are applying or have relocated.
This controversy is one of several flashpoints that have led to a sharp deterioration in relations between South Africa and the Trump administration. Efforts by Ramaphosa to repair ties — including a high-profile visit to the White House — reportedly backfired when Trump confronted him with videos and reports alleging persecution of white South Africans. One such video showed opposition figure Julius Malema singing the controversial chant “Shoot the Boer,” although South African courts have ruled that the song does not constitute hate speech.
Tensions escalated further last month when the US boycotted the G20 summit hosted by South Africa and announced it would not invite South African officials to meetings during its leadership of the global economic group.
With deportations underway, diplomatic notes being exchanged, and political rhetoric heating up, the incident highlights how immigration enforcement, race, and geopolitics are colliding — loudly — between two governments already walking on thin ice.