7 Kenyans Arrested In South Africa While On US Job Program
Seven Kenyans employed in South Africa under a US program have been arrested for lack of necessary documentation and are now facing deportation.
According to South African officials, the Kenyan citizens were detained for allegedly working at the institution despite entering the country on holiday visas.
The arrests came when the Department of Home Affairs, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, carried out a routine investigation in Johannesburg targeting alleged infractions of South African immigration laws.
[BREAKING NEWS] Home Affairs arrests seven Kenyans for processing United States refugee applications in South Africa without authorisation.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/63CyVi25O0
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 17, 2025
According to South Africa News, the operation was initiated in response to intelligence inputs that several Kenyan citizens had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas.
They had, however, illegally taken up work at a refugee processing center in the United States.
“This was even though earlier visa applications for Kenyan nationals to perform this work had been lawfully declined by the department,” the department said.
“They were arrested and issued with deportation orders and will be prohibited from entering South Africa again for five years.”
The arrests were made because “intelligence reports indicated that several Kenyan nationals had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and had illegally taken up work at a centre processing the applications of so-called ‘refugees’ to the United States,” according to the release.
Home affairs statement on 7 Kenyans who came to South Africa illegally. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/Exr0rIEhyS
— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) December 17, 2025
According to sources familiar with the situation, they were arrested as a result of the country’s Home Affairs Department’s increased expulsion of aliens living there.
The 18-month-old crackdown aims to address South Africa’s long-standing abuse of the immigration and visa system.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the targeting was specifically on the U.S.-sponsored programs due to the recent frosty relations between the two nations.
Additionally, at the time of publishing the story, the Kenyan government had yet to issue an official update on the developments.
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However, authorities in South Africa confirmed that they had formally notified their Kenyan counterparts.
Meanwhile, the department said no US officials were arrested in the process; the operation was not conducted at a diplomatic site, and no members of the public or prospective “refugees” were harassed.
“The presence of foreign officials apparently coordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol,” the department said.
“The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has initiated formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve this matter.”
7 Kenyans Arrested In South Africa While On US Job Program
