7 Kenyans netted for processing 'refugee' applications for US asylum seekers

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed the arrest of seven Kenyan nationals who have purportedly been processing “refugee” applications for United States (US) asylum seekers.

The department noted that the seven Kenyan nationals are in the country illegally after earlier visa applications to perform this job were denied.

The arrests were made at an undisclosed site in Johannesburg on Sunday, following the tip-off the department received regarding illegal work being carried out.

Minister Leon Schreiber has clarified that no US official was arrested during the operation.

The Department of Home Affairs states that the arrests of Kenyan nationals were part of a routine and lawful operation conducted in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies.

When the US introduced its refugee programme for Afrikaners earlier this year, it had applied for work visas for a second Kenyan staff member linked to its refugee programme through the organisation, Church World Service, to process the applications

Home Affairs denied the visas.

It has since emerged that these staffers entered South Africa on tourist visas instead.

Schreiber said the staff have been issued with deportation orders, and will be prohibited from entering South Africa for the next five years.

"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."

Schreiber said the operation was carried out according to the same procedures that have seen home affairs dramatically intensify deportations over the past 18 months.