Afrikaner Detained in USA for Applying for Asylum on Tourist Visa
- A South African in the United States spent over three months behind bars after he violated the country's immigration laws
- The man, an Afrikaner who left the country in 2025 seeking asylum after the US President Donald Trump declared that Afrikaners were eligible for refugee status
- South Africans debated the man's incarceration; some found his incarceration hilarious, while others were concerned
Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Getty Images
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — An Afrikaner was detained in the United States in September 2025 for three months after violating the country's immigration laws.
According to IOL, Benjamin Schoonwinkel left for the United States on a tourist visa and headed for Atlanta, Georgia. Upon arrival, he requested protection from the United States government. Schoonwinkel alleged that he was a victim of persecution in South Africa. He said that he was attacked on his farm in 2014 by two men who allegedly beat him up, held him at knifepoint, and tied him up while they ransacked his house.
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South African detained in the US
Schoonwinkel was arrested when he landed and was sent to the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. He joined approximately 2,000 immigrants who were detained under US President Donald Trump's anti-immigration operations. Schoonwinkel said he left behind a comfortable life in South Africa due to alleged persecution.
Source: Getty Images
Afrikaners in the United States
Schoonwinkel joins a small group of Afrikaners who accepted Trump's refugee status. In February, Trump signed an Executive Order granting Afrikaners refugee status. He accused the South African government of persecuting Afrikaner farmers, killing them, and forcefully seizing their farms.
In an unexpected move, the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said that the United States will only accept Afrikaner refugees. Trump prioritised 7,500 spots for South Africans in the resettlement programme for the next financial year.
South Africans debate incarceration
Netizens discussed the man's predicament.
Themba Mofokeng said:
"Trump has made them think they are specialas they do in South Africa."
Skhumbuzo Ndlovu said:
"The hypocrisy of these Americans. They were throwing tantrums when the South African government kicked out those Kenyans who were working at the refugee camp with tourist visas."
Hugon Tumber asked:
"Is this the same USA that cried when SA gave their tourist-working Kenyans walking tickets not so long ago?"
Wandile Nkobo said:
"Very good time spent behind bars. A great lesson for all those Afrikaners who think America is better than Mzansi."
Home Affairs deports Kenyans processing refugee applications
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Department of Home Affairs deported a group of Kenyans who were arrested for violating the Immigration Act. The arrest happened during a raid at offices used to process Afrikaners' refugee status applications.
The seven Kenyans were found to be working with tourist visas. They were deported and banned from entering South Africa for the next five years.
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Source: Briefly News
