South African police raids on undocumented immigrants draw criticism from rights groups

JOHANNESBURG(AP) _ South African authorities say they have arrested about 750 immigrants staying illegally in this country, prompting rights groups to criticize the sweep for alleged violations that include preventing detainees from seeing lawyers.

The nationwide police raids at the end of April and the beginning of May followed violence against immigrants in parts of Johannesburg and Durban. The South African government says seven people died.

While South African officials condemned the violence, they have also sought to address complaints that some immigrants are living illegally in South Africa and taking opportunities that should go to South Africans.

A South Africa-based group, Lawyers for Human Rights, on Tuesday filed a court application to stop the deportation of foreigners arrested in the raids.

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