US accused of using illegal workers at centre processing refugee claims in South Africa

South Africa has accused the US of using Kenyan nationals who did not have 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.

The BBC has approached the US State Department for comment.

While the US is trying to reduce overall levels of migration, it says that members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner community can get asylum because they face persecution – a claim South Africa’s government strongly rejects.

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

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 said the raid showcased the commitment that the country shared “with the United States to combating illegal immigration and visa abuse in all its forms”, it said.

It added that “formal diplomatic engagements” had been started with both the United States and Kenya.

No US officials were arrested and the operation was not at a diplomatic site, it said.