“They’re Gonna Struggle”: US Woman Complains About SA Refugees Coming to the USA

• A Black American woman shared her honest take on what the situation looks like since SA refugees entered the States
• She said white South Africans arriving in America may be in for a surprise, as racism in the US does not work the way they might expect it to
• South Africans flooded her comments not to argue but to express sympathy, with many saying they were genuinely sorry she had to deal with it

TikTok creator @teetwotymes recorded a clip she shared on her TikTok page on 20 February 2026 from her car. She addressed the wave of comments she had received after a previous video about South African refugees arriving at her workplace in large groups over several weeks. She had assumed the comments were hostile, but it quickly became clear that South Africans were not fighting with her; they were apologising.

First, she cleared up several things. She said she had no issue with Black Africans and found the ongoing beef between some Black Americans and Black Africans pointless, especially after realising that white South Africans face many of the same social challenges back home as Black Americans do in the US. She also addressed the idea that Americans were uninformed about the refugee programme, saying the topic had been covered briefly in the news before being buried under the many other things happening under the Trump administration.

Read also

"I dream about this": European woman shares what she misses about SA when she goes back home

Based on her research, she said white South African refugees were receiving expedited pathways to citizenship, a stipend of around $2,000 (R31,857 according to Wise currency converter) a month, temporary housing, and government assistance. She pointed out that $2,000 would likely go straight to rent in most American cities, meaning the new arrivals would still face financial pressure.

She also raised the point that many of these refugees were reportedly being placed in predominantly white, conservative areas. She went on to say that she predicted that racism in those communities would extend to the South Africans too, regardless of their skin colour. This, she expalined is because American racism is also tied to whether you are American or not.

Watch the TikTok video below:

SA relates to the US woman's take on SA refugees

Netizens reacted to TikToker @teetwotymess' message with many trying to exlain whatthe earlier comments implied when she discussed the SA refugees entering the US:

@Saabi. wrote:

"Oh, baby, we're not beefing with you; we are actually sympathetic and sending prayers."

@Lovesivu89 said:

"We weren't mad at you ❤️ We are genuinely wishing you good luck with that group."

@Oros explained:

"I went through some of the comments, and they're saying love and light isn't passive-aggressive, it's more like 'I'm glad you took our problems'."

Read also

"I want the luxury": Western Cape woman in the USA shares the most difficult part of living abroad

@Tammy added:

"We were not beefing with you, we were really wishing you good luck 🤞 nothing more."

@SaintSeven7 said:

"Nah, we're glad you're actually letting us know."

@uncle.Saucy💯 wrote:

"Yo, I really wish you all the best and thank you for your sacrifices 😭😭👍🏾"

@Gehl from South Ahh🇿🇦 said:

"Girl, I'm sorry 😭😭😭 And good luck 🤞🏾"

More on SA refugees in the USA

• Briefly News recently reported on an Afrikaner refugee who posted a photo of free groceries from a US food bank, and the nickname South Africans gave the assistance had people laughing and shaking their heads at the same time.
• The US government announced plans to process up to 4,500 Afrikaner refugee applications every month.
• A South African Afrikaner refugee laid out her full government food bank haul on camera, and the questions South Africans had about what else comes with the refugee package kept coming.

Source: Briefly News