Ireland has deported 42 South African nationals who were found to be living in the country illegally, with all of them arriving in Johannesburg on Friday aboard a chartered flight.
The group consisted of nine men, 18 women, and 15 children, with the minors deported alongside their families as units. They had departed Dublin Airport on Thursday afternoon before landing in South Africa the following morning.
Reports from The Irish Times on June 19, 2026, also revealed that two of the deported individuals had prior criminal convictions while residing in Ireland.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, commented that while most South Africans in the country are living there legally, the government remains committed to enforcing immigration laws.
