South Africa Raids U.S. Refugee Facility in Johannesburg, Arrests Seven Kenyans

The Tuesday raid targeted employees who violated immigration rules by working without permits, leading to deportation orders and a five-year ban from South Africa. Home Affairs called it routine enforcement amid broader efforts against illegal immigration, stressing no U.S. personnel were arrested and no applicants faced harassment. U.S. media reported brief detentions of American staff, prompting Washington to seek clarification from Pretoria, while Afrikaner groups decried it as intimidation tied to ongoing refugee debates.

“The Trump Administration has consistently raised concerns about the treatment of Afrikaners in South Africa, including allegations of racial targeting, violence, and the failure of authorities to adequately protect certain communities. We are seeking immediate clarification from the South African government and expect full cooperation and accountability,” Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, said in a statement.

“We’ll have more to say once all the facts are confirmed, but the Trump Administration will always stand up for U.S. interests, U.S. personnel, and the rule of law. Interfering in our refugee operations [is] unacceptable.”

South Africa’s immigration agency, the Department of Home Affairs, said it entered the office after receiving information that Kenyan nationals who were assisting with refugee processing “had illegally taken up work at a centre processing the applications of so-called ‘refugees’ to the United States.”