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The United States has criticized South Africa after authorities raided a US refugee processing center in Johannesburg.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: It’s safe to say the relationship between the United States and South Africa has been rocky to say the least, particularly since President Donald Trump returned to office. Trump has repeatedly claimed that white Afrikaners in South Africa are victims of a “genocide,” accusing the Black-led government of enabling land seizures and racial violence against the white minority. These assertions have been rejected by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other top officials, who have labeled them as baseless and misinformation. Ramaphosa has stressed that “no ethnic group” in South Africa is being persecuted and warned that such rhetoric could inflame racial tensions. Adding to the diplomatic strain, Trump has expressed outrage over South Africa’s growing ties with BRICS (an economic bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), viewing its alignment with countries like China and Russia as hostile to US interests.
What’s going on now: The State Department has condemned South Africa’s recent raid on a US-linked refugee processing center in Johannesburg, calling it an overreach and a threat to the safety of American personnel. The facility, which supports the resettlement of white Afrikaners through the US Refugee Admissions Program, was targeted by South African immigration officials, who arrested seven Kenyan nationals allegedly working there illegally on tourist visas.
In a statement, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, “Interfering in our refugee operations is unacceptable.” He added that the US was demanding “immediate clarification from the South African government” and expects “full cooperation and accountability.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio went further, accusing South Africa of briefly detaining US nationals and leaking their passport information in what he described as “an unacceptable form of harassment” that could endanger lives. “Failure by the South African Government to hold those responsible accountable will result in severe consequences,” he warned.
Despite the claims from the US, South Africa insists that no US officials were arrested and that the raid occurred outside of any diplomatic facility.
