South Africa Stands Firm Against US Threats Over Refugee Centre Incident

Fri Dec 19 2025 18:08:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

South Africa has firmly rejected accusations of harassment from the US regarding a recent raid on a refugee application centre, amid rising tensions between the two nations.

Following a raid on a processing centre for white South African refugees, the US accused the South African government of harassing its officials. The South African government denied these claims and emphasized its commitment to data security. Tensions have escalated since the Trump administration highlighted refugee offers to Afrikaners, with South Africa objecting to accusations of intimidation and misuse of data. The diplomatic relations between the two countries are increasingly strained amidst these developments.

The South African government has dismissed accusations by the US that it harassed and intimidated American officials during a raid on a centre processing applications by white South Africans for refugee status in the US.

Tuesday's raid saw seven Kenyans expelled from South Africa for working in the country illegally.

The US accused South Africa of publishing the passport details of its officials, saying this was 'unacceptable' and warning of 'severe consequences'.

But South Africa has denied this, stating they treat 'matters of data security with the utmost seriousness'.

The US is offering asylum status to members of South Africa's Afrikaner community as it claims the community is facing persecution. However, South Africa's government has rejected these claims.

The Trump administration has reduced its yearly intake of refugees from around the world from 125,000 to 7,500 but is prioritizing Afrikaners, who are largely descendants of Dutch and French settlers. Tensions between the two countries have been rising since Trump took office.

After the raid on the processing centre, South Africa expressed concern that foreign officials appeared to have coordinated with undocumented workers and stated it reached out to the US and Kenya to resolve the matter.

A statement from the US State Department condemned 'in the strongest terms' the South African government's recent detention of US officials performing their duties to provide humanitarian support to Afrikaners.

South Africa's home affairs department described the accusations as 'unsubstantiated', asserting that they treat data security with the utmost seriousness and operate under stringent legal and diplomatic protocols.

President Trump has claimed that Afrikaners are facing a 'genocide' in South Africa without evidence supporting the idea that white farmers are more likely to be killed than their black counterparts.

A first group of about 50 people flew to the US on a chartered plane. It remains unclear how many others have moved or are in the process of applying.

The legacy of the apartheid system has resulted in the majority of privately owned farmland in South Africa being owned by the white community, leading to pressure on the government to provide more land to black farmers.

Despite previously trying to mend relations with Trump, South Africa's attempts have backfired, especially after Trump confronted President Ramaphosa with visuals and reports alleging persecution of white South Africans.

Last month, the US boycotted the G20 summit held in South Africa and stated that it would not invite South African officials to its meetings since it took over the leadership of this group.