The first group of white South Africans granted refugee status under a U.S. program initiated by President Donald Trump boarded a plane from Johannesburg to the United States on Sunday. The 49 individuals, mostly Afrikaners, were reportedly vetted by South African authorities before their departure for Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., with a final destination in Texas.
The Trump administration’s decision to offer asylum to white South Africans has drawn criticism and stirred debate both in the U.S. and South Africa. While the U.S. government has drastically reduced refugee admissions, especially from non-white and Muslim-majority countries, this specific initiative prioritized Afrikaners descendants of Dutch settlers whom Trump described as victims of “unjust racial discrimination.”
This policy move has been met with skepticism and alarm in South Africa, where racial tensions over land redistribution and economic inequality remain high. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, white South Africans have retained disproportionate control over wealth and land. According to the Review of Political Economy, whites still control three-quarters of private land and possess about 20 times the wealth of the Black majority, despite being a small minority of the population.
Critics argue that the portrayal of white South Africans as persecuted is not supported by data and is being fueled by far-right narratives online. These claims have gained traction among some Western conservatives and have been echoed by high-profile figures like Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa.
South African officials have expressed frustration over what they see as U.S. interference in domestic issues, emphasizing that white South Africans remain the least affected by unemployment and social instability. Collen Msibi, a spokesperson for the South African transport department, noted that all passengers had been cleared of criminal charges but refrained from commenting further.
As this group begins a new chapter in the U.S., the broader implications of the Trump-era policy continue to reverberate in both countries, raising questions about race, privilege, and the politicization of asylum.
