Exclusive: State Department Blasts South African Government for Detaining, Exposing USCIS Officers

WASHINGTON–The State Department said South Africa will face “severe consequences” if it does not hold accountable its own authorities who detained United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers, whose identities were later exposed on Wednesday.

Principal Deputy State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott provided a statement to Breitbart News on Wednesday night condemning the South African government’s detention of the two officers, who were aiding Afrikaners in their official duties.

“The U.S. condemns in the strongest terms the South African government’s recent detention of U.S. officials performing their duties to provide humanitarian support to Afrikaners,” Pigott said. “Furthermore, the public release of our U.S. officials’ passport information is an unacceptable form of harassment.”

The USCIS officials were detained as part of a raid by the South African government, in which it arrested Kenyans who the South African government viewed as illegally aiding in processing U.S. refugee applications of Afrikaners.

At least one of the USCIS officers’ passports was publicly exposed after the raid and detention via a post that was later deleted, and as Breitbart News noted, seven Kenyans were arrested and are set to be deported.

“This can only be seen as an attempt to intimidate U.S. government personnel in South Africa on official business.  The United States will not tolerate such behavior toward its government’s officials – or toward any of its citizens – who are legally and peacefully operating abroad.  The public release of personal identifying information puts the official in harm’s way,” Pigott added.

The South African government can expect “severe consequences” if those responsible are not held to account, the State Department said.

“Failure by the South African Government to hold those responsible accountable will result in severe consequences,” Pigott concluded. “We call on the Government of South Africa to take immediate action to bring this situation under control and hold those responsible accountable.”

As Breitbart News reported:

The refugee applications were processed by a Kenya-based company called RSC Africa, which is operated by a U.S.-based non-governmental organization called the Church World Service (CWS). The U.S. Embassy in South Africa announced its partnership with RSC Africa to process refugee applications last month.

The South African Home Ministry claimed the Kenyans resorted to abusing tourist visas to work at the Johannesburg refugee processing facility because South Africa previously refused to issue work visas for them. South Africa said it has “initiated formal diplomatic engagements” with both the U.S. and Kenya to resolve the matter.

In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a plan to resettle minorities who are “disfavored” in the country, as the White House noted. In May, he hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House, who signed the Expropriation Act earlier this year. During the meeting, Trump highlighted examples of threats and discrimination against Afrikaners.