JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa on Wednesday said its authorities had arrested and would deport seven Kenyan nationals illegally working on processing refugee applications for the US government.
Two US Citizenship and Immigration Services refugee officers were also briefly detained and then released during the operation on Tuesday, a USCIS official and a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
USCIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A State Department spokesperson called the raid "unacceptable".
President Donald Trump's administration aims to bring thousands of white South Africans to the United States under a resettlement programme it started this year, on the basis of claims that they are victims of racial persecution. South Africa's government strongly denies this.
Case processing in South Africa is being done by RSC Africa, a Kenya-based refugee support centre operated by Church World Service, according to the U.S. embassy's website.
The Kenyans had entered South Africa on tourist visas and illegally taken up work at a processing centre, despite the fact that earlier visa applications for Kenyan nationals to do this work had been denied, South Africa's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. It said no US officials were arrested.
"We are seeking immediate clarification from the South African government and expect full cooperation and accountability," said US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott in a statement sent to Reuters.
"We'll have more to say once all the facts are confirmed, but the Trump Administration will always stand up for US interests, US personnel, and the rule of law. Interfering in our refugee operations is unacceptable," he said.
The incident is likely to worsen already bad relations between Washington and Pretoria. During his second term, Trump has repeatedly made false claims about South Africa's treatment of its white minority, and used this as a justification for cutting aid and excluding South Africa from G20 meetings.
South Africa's government said it had initiated formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve the matter.
"The presence of foreign officials apparently coordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol," the South African statement said.
A spokesperson for Kenya's foreign ministry said she was not aware of the incident but would look into it.