The incident occurred on Tuesday when South African authorities raided the centre and subsequently deported seven Kenyan nationals who were found to be working in the country illegally. Following the operation, the US government claimed that American officials present at the centre were mistreated and accused South Africa of publishing their passport details. Washington described this as unacceptable behaviour and warned that there could be serious consequences.
South Africa has firmly denied these claims. Officials said that the country takes data protection very seriously and operates under strict legal and diplomatic frameworks. The government also clarified that no American officials were arrested during the raid and that the facility was not a recognised diplomatic site. According to South African authorities, the Kenyan nationals involved had applied for work permits, which were rejected, making their employment unlawful.
The US, however, defended its actions, stating that its officials were carrying out humanitarian duties and working within the law. The State Department condemned what it described as the detention of its personnel, although it did not provide evidence to support its claim that passport information had been made public.
The disagreement is rooted in the US decision to grant refugee status to members of South Africa’s Afrikaner community, whom it claims are facing persecution. South Africa has repeatedly rejected this narrative, arguing that there is no evidence to support allegations of targeted violence against white citizens. President Donald Trump has previously claimed that Afrikaners are victims of a “genocide,” a statement widely disputed by experts and South African officials.
Despite significantly reducing its overall refugee intake, the Trump administration has prioritised Afrikaners, most of whom are descendants of European settlers. Earlier this year, around 50 individuals reportedly travelled to the US under this programme, though the total number of applicants remains unclear.
Tensions have also been fuelled by South Africa’s land reform law, which allows land expropriation without compensation in rare cases. While the government insists no land has yet been seized under the legislation, the issue has drawn sharp criticism from Trump.
Efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to repair diplomatic relations have so far failed. The situation worsened when the US boycotted a recent G20 summit in South Africa and announced it would no longer invite South African officials to key meetings, signalling a deepening diplomatic rift.