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2d ago

Trump Administration Resettles First Group of White South African Refugees

Fifty-nine Afrikaners arrive in the U.S. under a controversial refugee program prioritizing white South Africans, sparking criticism and diplomatic tensions.

FILE - White South Africans demonstrate in support of U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)
Afrikaner refugees from South Africa arrive, Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive, Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Troy Edgar meet with the first group of white South Africans granted refugee status for being deemed victims of racial discrimination under U.S. President Trump's Refugee plan, after the South Africans arrived at Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Overview

  • Fifty-nine white South Africans, identified as Afrikaners, arrived at Dulles International Airport on May 12, marking the first group resettled under President Trump's February executive order.
  • The Trump administration fast-tracked their refugee applications, citing claims of race-based persecution, while suspending admissions from conflict zones like Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • South Africa's government disputes the allegations of racial persecution, asserting that Afrikaners remain among the country's most economically privileged groups.
  • Refugee advocates and legal experts have questioned the prioritization of Afrikaners over refugees fleeing war and violence, accusing the administration of politicizing asylum policies.
  • The program has heightened U.S.-South Africa tensions, with President Ramaphosa criticizing the move as based on misinformation and undermining South African sovereignty.