The South African Department of Home Affairs has arrested seven Kenyan nationals in Johannesburg for allegedly violating the country’s immigration laws by engaging in unauthorized work linked to refugee application processing.

The arrests followed what authorities described as a routine, lawful operation conducted in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies on December 16, 2025.

In a media statement issued on December 17, 2025, the Department said the operation was informed by intelligence reports indicating that several Kenyan nationals had entered South Africa on tourist visas before taking up employment at a centre involved in processing applications of so-called “refugees” seeking relocation to the United States.

According to Home Affairs, earlier visa applications allowing Kenyan nationals to perform such work had already been “lawfully declined.”

Officials said the arrests were carried out after investigators confirmed that the individuals were working despite holding visas that did not permit employment.

“During the operation, seven Kenyan nationals were discovered engaging in work despite only having tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country,” the Department stated.

As a result, the seven were arrested, issued with deportation orders, and barred from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years.

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Enforcement Operation and Immigration Controls

Home Affairs emphasized that the Johannesburg operation followed established procedures used in recent months as the government moves to clamp down on immigration violations.

The Department noted that similar processes have “seen Home Affairs dramatically intensify deportations over the past 18 months,” as authorities work to address what they termed the long-standing abuse of South Africa’s immigration and visa system.

The Department was keen to clarify that the operation did not target diplomatic premises or foreign officials.

“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 statement said.

Rule of Law and International Cooperation

According to Home Affairs, the arrests reaffirm the country’s commitment to applying immigration laws impartially.

The Department said the action “reinforces Home Affairs’ commitment to enforcing the rule of law without fear or favour,” stressing that no individual or entity is exempt from compliance.

Authorities further linked the operation to broader international cooperation, noting that South Africa shares a common interest with the United States in addressing illegal immigration and visa abuse.

The Department said the case “showcases the commitment that South Africa shares with the United States to combating illegal immigration and visa abuse in all its forms.”

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Diplomatic Concerns Raised

Beyond the arrests, the Department flagged potential diplomatic implications.

Officials said the “presence of foreign officials apparently coordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol.”

In response, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation has initiated formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve the matter.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a Past Event. PHOTO/ File