CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Next week, a select group of white South Africans are slated to arrive in the United States as refugees, an initiative that the Trump administration describes as a new beginning for a minority in South Africa allegedly facing racial persecution. This move comes in contrast to the administration’s general anti-migrant policies, which have curtailed refugee admissions from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of sub-Saharan Africa.
The U.S. government has fast-tracked the applications of these South Africans following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a relocation program earlier this year. However, the prioritization of white South Africans has led to questions from refugee advocacy groups.
The South African government has firmly refuted allegations of racial persecution against the Afrikaner population, labeling them as inaccurate and citing the economic privilege often associated with this group. Afrikaners, descendants of primarily Dutch and French settlers, have a noticeable presence in South Africa’s cultural and political landscape. Comprising about 2.7 million of the country’s 62 million citizens—more than 80% of whom are Black—Afrikaners are seen as integrated into the nation’s multi-racial society. They are often prominent business leaders and hold official positions in the government. Their language holds official status, and their cultural institutions are prominent in numerous urban and rural areas.
The U.S. rationale for offering refugee status to Afrikaners appears to stem from claims of racially motivated violence on farms, an assertion tied to incidents of robberies targeting white farmers in rural regions. While such attacks have long plagued the country amidst its broader challenges with violent crime, the South African government disputes the U.S. perspective that these are racially motivated or government-endorsed. The government, in turn, denounces these incidents but insists that they do not disproportionately target white South Africans.
An Afrikaner organization, AfriForum, noted a tally of 49 farm-related homicides in 2023 within a national landscape rife with over 20,000 annual homicides affecting all racial groups. Experts note that the remoteness of these communities makes them especially susceptible to crime, affecting Black farmers and workers as well.
Furthermore, the Trump administration has criticized South Africa’s affirmative action policies, accusing them of being prejudiced against whites, and has inaccurately suggested that Afrikaner land is being confiscated under a new expropriation law. The South African government denies any such expropriation has occurred. These affirmative measures, aimed at improving employment opportunities for Black citizens, have stirred criticism among some white South Africans who view them as discriminatory.
Through this contentious initiative, only Afrikaners have been offered relocation, reflecting potential political and cultural alignments with Trump’s administration. It’s unclear how many have applied for or received refugee status, though a South African business coalition in the U.S. claims tens of thousands have shown interest. The first group, comprising over two dozen Afrikaners from around four families, is expected to touch down at Dulles International Airport near Washington in the coming days.