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Close to 70,000 South Africans have shown interest in relocating to the United States following Washington’s offer to resettle people from the country’s Afrikaner community, according to the South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (Saccusa).
Saccusa reported that its website received tens of thousands of registrations from individuals seeking more information. The organization has since submitted a list of interested individuals to the US embassy in Pretoria, which confirmed receipt of the data.
Trump’s Executive Order and US-South Africa Tensions
In a February executive order, President Donald Trump stated that Afrikaners—descendants of primarily Dutch settlers who arrived in the 17th century—could be granted refugee status as “victims of unjust racial discrimination.”
Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated significantly since Trump took office, with tensions escalating over land reform policies and racial issues.
The dispute intensified in January after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill allowing land expropriation without compensation in the “public interest.” The legislation, aimed at addressing historic land inequalities, has sparked fierce debate. In response, Trump issued the executive order offering refugee status to Afrikaners and later expanded it to include all South African farmers, claiming the country had become “a bad place to be right now.”
Last month, Trump also cut aid to South Africa, further straining diplomatic ties.
Who is Seeking to Leave?
According to Saccusa President Neil Diamond, a total of 67,042 people registered their interest in migration, with most having Afrikaner or English names. The majority were aged between 25 and 45 and had two to three dependents.
While Saccusa is not an official government body, it became involved in registering interest after receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries about resettlement, Diamond told Newzroom Afrika.
Debate Over Racial Discrimination Claims
Some white South Africans argue they face racial discrimination, a claim that has gained traction among right-wing groups in the US. However, South Africa’s white minority still holds the majority of privately owned land and wealth more than 30 years after the end of apartheid.
Ramaphosa has dismissed Trump’s claims, insisting that no land seizures have taken place and that the bill ensures “equitable and just access to land” in line with the constitution.
Nonetheless, tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. Last week, the US expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling him a “race-baiting politician.”
With diplomatic relations at a low point, it remains unclear how many of those expressing interest will ultimately be granted resettlement in the US.
