The Department of Home Affairs has arrested 7 Kenyan nationals illegally working in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In a statement on Wednesday, December 17, the department said the arrested Kenyans were illegally working at a center processing refugee applications destined for the United States.
According to the department, the Kenyan nationals entered South Africa on tourist visas and therefore violated the law by taking up roles in the center.
“Yesterday, the Department of Home Affairs, in collaboration with other arms of law enforcement, executed a routine, lawful operation in Johannesburg targeted at suspected violations of South African immigration law.
“The operation followed after intelligence reports indicated that a number of Kenyan nationals had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and had illegally taken up work at a centre processing the applications of so-called “refugees” to the United States,” read the statement in part.
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The department noted that the Kenyans had earlier applied for a visa to perform the work, but their applications were lawfully declined.
The Kenyan nationals were given deportation orders and will be prohibited from entering South Africa for five years.
“During the operation, seven Kenyan nationals were discovered engaging in work despite only being in possession of tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country.
“They were arrested and issued with deportation orders, and will be prohibited from entering South Africa again for a five-year period,” the department stated.
Further, the department clarified that the operation was not conducted at a diplomatic site and that no members of the public or prospective refugees were harassed during the exercise.
“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 department concluded.
This comes days after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a list of immigrants marked for deportation under a new operation targeting individuals with criminal convictions.
The list, involving more than 100,000 people, includes 15 Kenyans arrested across various states.
One of the Kenyans facing deportation is Alfred Obiero, who was convicted of assault, driving under the influence of alcohol, and domestic violence. He was arrested in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Another Kenyan on the list is Bethuel Gathu, who was convicted of robbery and was arrested in Chowchilla in the state of California.
Patrick Mwangi is also set for deportation. He was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol and was arrested in San Antonio in the state of Texas.
Another Kenyan on the list is Isaac Githinji. He was convicted of fleeing to avoid prosecution or confinement and was arrested in Apache Junction in the state of Arizona.
Moses Okoth is also facing deportation, having been convicted of aggravated assault involving a weapon and was arrested in Nashville, in the state of Tennessee.
Others are: Clement Mulovi, Mohamed Chekchekani, Moffat Muriithi, Naserian Montet, Francis Mungai, Antony Karia, Boniface Mburu, Kevin Gunyanyi, and Collins Keanche.
