A contingent of 59 white South Africans has arrived in the United States, where they are set to receive refugee status under a fast-tracked program sanctioned by President Donald Trump. The administration cited claims of “racial discrimination” against the country’s Afrikaner minority as the basis for the expedited approvals.
South Africa’s government, however, dismissed the allegations, asserting that the group faced no systemic persecution warranting asylum protections under international law.
The decision has drawn fierce criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that the Trump administration’s selective approach exposes a troubling racial bias. Human Rights Watch described the move as a stark and “cruel” manipulation of refugee policy, pointing out that thousands of asylum seekers from war-ravaged regions—including many black Africans and Afghans—continue to face indefinite delays or outright denials under the same administration’s broader refugee freeze.
Despite the controversy, the group was met with an official reception upon their arrival at Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C. on Monday, highlighting the political symbolism attached to their case.
Some held young children and waved small American flags in the arrival area adorned with red, white and blue balloons on the walls.
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It was noted that while refugee processing in the US typically takes months or even years, this particular group had been fast-tracked. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, confirmed that it had not been involved in the vetting process, which was usually part of its standard role.
When asked directly on Monday why the Afrikaners’ refugee applications had been processed more quickly than those of other groups, Trump claimed that a “genocide” was occurring and that “white farmers” were being specifically targeted. He stated that farmers were being killed and, while they happened to be white, it made no difference to him whether they were white or black.
However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he had told Trump during a phone call that the US assessment of the situation was inaccurate. Ramaphosa explained that a refugee is defined as someone who must flee their country due to political, religious, or economic persecution, and argued that the individuals in question did not meet those criteria.