US Refugee Centre Raid Exposes Diplomatic Tensions

A US refugee programme center in South Africa was raided, leading to the arrest of seven Kenyans working illegally. The incident, concerning white South Africans' applications, has heightened tensions between the US and South Africa. Diplomatic discussions are underway to resolve the issue.

Immigration and law enforcement officials conducted a raid at a US refugee programme processing centre in South Africa and arrested seven Kenyans on charges of working without proper authorization, according to South Africa's Home Affairs Ministry statement on Wednesday.

The Leeuwkop Refugee Application Center located in Johannesburg was catering to white South Africans under Trump administration's controversial initiative to grant them priority for refugee status in the United States. The Kenyan nationals were detained for illegal work activities, having entered the country on tourist visas. US officials present during the raid were not arrested as the site is not considered to have diplomatic status.

This development threatens to exacerbate existing US-South Africa tensions, exacerbated by President Donald Trump's critical stance towards South Africa's treatment of its white minority. South Africa contests claims of persecution against whites but remains open to relocation applications. Meanwhile, South Africa's Foreign Ministry engages in diplomatic discussions with the US and Kenya to resolve the situation, following the Kenyans' deportation and five-year ban.

(With inputs from agencies.)