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The first group of white, Afrikaans-speaking South Africans is reportedly set to arrive in the United States early next week, after being granted refugee status by the Trump administration. The group claims to be fleeing racial persecution and violence in South Africa.
President Donald Trump, who previously signed an executive order suspending U.S. aid to South Africa, has accused the South African government of committing “terrible things” against Afrikaners, a white ethnic minority group descended largely from Dutch settlers. He has described them as victims of “unjust racial discrimination” and criticized South Africa’s land reform policies.
At the heart of the controversy is a proposed constitutional amendment allowing land expropriation without compensation, a move the South African government says is aimed at correcting historical injustices in land ownership stemming from the apartheid era. Despite the heated rhetoric, South African officials note that no land has yet been expropriated under the new policy.
Afrikaners make up around 60% of South Africa’s white population, which itself comprises roughly 7.2% of the country’s total population. Many within this community have voiced concerns over crime, particularly in rural farming areas. However, South African police data from last year recorded 44 farm-related murders out of more than 26,000 total homicides—most of which involved Black victims, according to crime researchers.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in South Africa reports that more than 67,000 individuals have expressed interest in relocating to the U.S. under Trump’s initiative. However, the notion of widespread discrimination against white South Africans has been largely dismissed by the South African government and many local commentators, who argue that the claims have been exaggerated and amplified in far-right circles abroad.
Notably, Trump’s stance echoes the views of Elon Musk, a South African-born U.S. citizen, who has voiced similar concerns in the past. The refugee offer comes amid broader restrictions on U.S. refugee admissions implemented by Trump, citing national security and financial burdens.
