Afrikaners Remain Top Priority As Trump Tightens US Refugee Entry Rules
- The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed it remains committed to resettling Afrikaners from South Africa as refugees
- Figures from the US State Department's Refugee Processing Center reveal the overwhelming share of admissions South Africans received this financial year
- Not all applicants have been accepted into the programme, and rejected applications cannot be appealed, according to USCIS
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SOUTH AFRICA — The United States government has reaffirmed its commitment to the Afrikaner refugee resettlement programme, even as millions of people displaced by war, political violence and humanitarian crises face increasingly restricted access to American shores.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Zach Kahler confirmed to IOL that the Department of Homeland Security was pressing ahead with the initiative.
Programme rooted in Trump executive order
Kahler said the Department of Homeland Security is committed to resettling Afrikaner refugees who are being persecuted by the SA government.
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The resettlement drive stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which specifically prioritised Afrikaners for refugee status. The US State Department, which co-administers the programme alongside Homeland Security, cited what it described as race-based discrimination directed at the Afrikaner minority, pointing to debates around land expropriation, alleged racially motivated violence, and South Africa's employment equity policies.
The South African government has consistently rejected the characterisation that Afrikaners face systematic persecution.
Figures show dramatic shift in admissions
Data from the US State Department's Refugee Processing Center illustrates the scale of the policy shift. Between 1 October and 31 July, the United States admitted 10,258 refugees in total. Of that figure, 10,255 were South Africans. The remaining three were Afghan nationals resettled in Colorado.
The contrast with previous years is stark. In the preceding US financial year, only 342 South Africans were admitted as refugees. Historically, the programme served large numbers of people from Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, both of which have since seen their access to the programme significantly curtailed.
Rejections possible, appeals not permitted
Despite the programme's prioritisation of Afrikaners, Kahler made clear that acceptance is not guaranteed. Applicants flagged over criminal histories or public safety concerns are notified that their processing will not continue. Kahler also confirmed that there is no appeals process available to those whose applications are declined.
Neither the State Department nor Homeland Security disclosed figures on the total number of applications received or the rate at which applicants have been turned away.
Afrikaner refugees could receive substantial monetary support
Briefly News also reported that white South Africans resettling in the United States under the Trump administration's refugee programme could soon receive up to $4,500, approximately R72,000 per person in initial federal support, according to a report by The Washington Post. The proposed change would nearly double the current amount of taxpayer-funded assistance available to newly arrived refugees.
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Source: Briefly News
