South Africa Accuses US of Employing Illegal Workers in Refugee Processing

Thu Dec 18 2025 14:25:21 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

South Africa has levied accusations against the US for employing Kenyan nationals without work permits at a facility processing refugee applications for white South Africans. The situation has strained relations between the two nations amidst claims of illegal employment and political interference.

The South African government has accused the US of utilizing Kenyan nationals without proper work permits at a facility responsible for processing refugee claims from white South Africans. This allegation comes following the arrest of seven Kenyans who allegedly entered the country on tourist visas. The US, in response, accused South Africa of interference in its refugee operations, amidst a broader context of strained diplomatic relations. The matter raises complex questions surrounding the treatment of white Afrikaners in South Africa and the political narrative shaped by the US administration.

South Africa has accused the US of using Kenyan nationals without work permits at a facility processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status.

Seven Kenyans were arrested after intelligence reports revealed that people had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and had illegally taken up work at the centre, said a statement from South Africa's department of home affairs.

Washington accused South Africa of interference in its efforts to admit white Afrikaners as refugees, in a response issued to Agence France-Presse.

The US is offering asylum status to Afrikaners as it says the community is facing persecution. South Africa's government has rejected the claims.

The US has reduced its yearly intake of refugees from around the world from 125,000 to 7,500, but says it will prioritize Afrikaners, who are mostly descendants of Dutch and French settlers.

This is one of the issues that have caused a sharp deterioration in relations between South Africa and the Trump administration.

South Africa says the Kenyan nationals arrested in Tuesday's raid will now be deported and will be banned from entering the country for five years.

They had previously been denied work visas but were found engaging in work despite only being in possession of tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country, the statement said.

South Africa also expressed concern that foreign officials appeared to have coordinated with undocumented workers and said it had reached out to the US and Kenya to resolve the matter.

While the State Department is yet to respond to the BBC's request for comment, it stated that it was seeking immediate clarification from the South African government.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Afrikaners are being subjected to a genocide in South Africa. The processing of applications by white South Africans is being done by RSC Africa, a Kenyan-based refugee support center operated by Church World Service (CWS).