South Africa has accused the United States of using Kenyan nationals without work permits in facilities that process refugee status applications for white South Africans.

A statement from South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry said seven Kenyans were arrested after intelligence reports suggested people “had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and were working illegally at the centre”.

The BBC has contacted the US State Department for comment.

While the United States is working to reduce overall immigration levels, it says members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner community can gain asylum because they face persecution – a claim the South African government strongly rejects.

The United States has reduced the number of refugees it accepts from around the world each year from 125,000 to 7,500, but says it will prioritize Afrikaners, mostly descendants of Dutch and French settlers.

South Africa said the Kenyan nationals arrested in Tuesday’s raids will now be deported and banned from entering the country for five years.

They had previously been refused work visas but were found to be “engaging in work despite only holding tourist visas, in clear breach of their conditions of entry”, the statement said.

South Africa said the raid demonstrated its commitment “to join the United States in combating all forms of illegal immigration and visa abuse.”

It added that “formal diplomatic engagement” with the United States and Kenya had begun.

The statement said no U.S. officials were arrested and the operation was not conducted at a diplomatic location.