South Africa says it will begin recovering the costs of deporting foreign nationals by billing the governments of their home countries. The policy is linked to increased enforcement against undocumented migrants and continued detentions under South Africa’s immigration laws. According to reports from multiple outlets citing South African officials, the government will charge countries whose citizens are detained for immigration violations and later deported. Authorities also indicate that the billing may cover costs related to foreign nationals held in criminal detention facilities while immigration processes are carried out. One report says South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation expects these countries to pay expenses incurred during detention and deportation, including costs tied to deporting people who violate immigration requirements. Another outlet frames the announcement as South Africa charging Nigeria in particular, while also applying the approach to other countries with nationals affected by deportation. The move reflects broader anti-immigration tensions described by the outlets, as South Africa intensifies crackdowns and seeks to shift deportation-related spending to the countries of origin.