A group of 59 white South Africans—mostly from the Afrikaner minority—arrived in the United States under a fast-tracked refugee program approved by former President Donald Trump. The administration cited “racial discrimination” and alleged violence against white farmers as justification for their expedited resettlement.
This move stands in stark contrast to the broader suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which has left over 120,000 refugees from conflict zones—many of them Black and Afghan—in bureaucratic limbo.
The South African government has strongly rejected claims of genocide or systematic persecution against white citizens. President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed the U.S. justification for asylum, stating the Afrikaners “don’t fit the bill” of political or religious refugees.
International human rights groups and refugee advocates have condemned the action as racially motivated and hypocritical. Human Rights Watch labeled the decision a “cruel racial twist,” while the Episcopal Church withdrew from federal refugee resettlement programs in protest.
UNHCR, typically involved in vetting refugee applications, confirmed it had no role in this case. Meanwhile, critics argue the Trump administration prioritized white “victimhood” over the urgent needs of more vulnerable populations.
Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa have worsened amid accusations of “race-baiting” and differing stances on international issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict. South African-born tech mogul Elon Musk and U.S. officials have echoed claims of white victimization—claims widely dismissed by researchers and South African police statistics alike.
