As of now, the Trump administration is gearing up for the imminent arrival of the first group of White South Africans who have been designated as deserving asylum in the U.S. due to purported racial discrimination in post-Apartheid South Africa. This development has surfaced through internal government documents that CBS News has accessed.
These White South Africans, granted refugee status, are projected to land in the United States as early as the impending week. The specifics of the operation are delineated in the documents, which hint at a press event scheduled for Monday at Dulles International Airport in Virginia to officially welcome these individuals. Despite this preliminary plan, familiar sources indicate potential variations in timing.
President Trump, earlier in February, issued an executive order that expressly instructed the deployment of the U.S. refugee program to facilitate the resettlement of Afrikaners. This ethnic demographic predominantly consists of individuals descending from European settlers, most of whom are from the Netherlands. The president has articulated concerns about these individuals facing “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.” This perception is supported by figures like Elon Musk, of South African descent, who criticize South African laws that purportedly allow racially targeted seizures of land owned by White South Africans. Contrarily, the South African government has robustly repudiated any claims of land confiscations or racially biased discrimination.
The decision to expedite the resettlement of Afrikaners stands in marked contrast to broader refugee policies under the Trump administration, which has notably clamped down on refugee admissions to the U.S from other regions of the world. One of the president’s initial actions after assuming office was to suspend the American refugee admissions program, leaving numerous already-approved refugees, identified as individuals fleeing violence and oppression in regions like Africa and Asia, in a state of uncertainty.
Federal judiciary bodies have intervened against the administration’s drastic closure of the refugee program, which was originally established by Congress in 1980 with an intent to provide sanctuary to those fleeing persecution. A recent judicial order mandated the resettlement of around 12,000 refugees who were ready for transfer to the U.S. when the program was abruptly suspended.
Afrikaners’ processing for refugee status has seen an unusually rapid progression. According to the State Department, before Trump’s second term, the refugee process generally spanned 18 to 24 months, entailing rigorous background verifications, medical screenings, and other evaluative interviews. However, in a striking deviation, the processing for Afrikaners ready to travel to the U.S has been condensed to a matter of months or weeks.
Despite the suspension of the State Department’s conventional program to aid refugees during their initial months in the U.S., instructions have been issued under the Trump administration for resettlement officials to utilize funds from the Department of Health and Human Services to support Afrikaner refugees. According to governmental documents, resettlement officials have been authorized to allocate funds managed by HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement to assist the Afrikaners in securing housing, household items, and basic necessities for their first 90 days in America. This list of provisions includes groceries, season-appropriate clothing, diapers, baby formula, hygiene products, and prepaid phones.
An official statement from the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the Office of Refugee Resettlement is utilizing “existing infrastructure and funding” to extend “immediate support” to Afrikaners. There are anticipations for the near-term arrival of initial groups, with more expected over the upcoming months. Coordination is reportedly underway with federal, state, and local collaborators to ensure the refugees receive requisite services for a safe and successful integration.
Adding further details, the State Department conveyed that the American Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, has been actively interviewing applicants for resettlement under Trump’s directive prioritizing Afrikaners. Ongoing queries from potential candidates continue to be handled, though specific case comments are withheld.
The move to prioritize Afrikaner refugees has ignited varied discussions about racial biases and the fairness of refugee policies under the Trump administration. Critics argue that such selective prioritization underscores inconsistencies and potential racial preferences influencing U.S. immigration policy. Alternatively, supporters affirm that offering refuge to persecuted groups, regardless of their racial or ethnic backgrounds, upholds America’s foundational values of liberty and sanctuary.
The unfolding scenario poses reflective questions about international policies, bilateral relationships, and the ethical contour of refugee assistance, setting a complex backdrop for the Trump administration’s domestic and international engagements in migration and human rights discourse.
