Trump Administration Welcomes White South African Refugees in Controversial Shift to U.S. Asylum Policy

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In a highly controversial move, the United States welcomed its first group of refugees under President Donald Trump’s new directive, granting entry to white South Africans—specifically Afrikaners—while the broader U.S. refugee admissions program remains largely suspended. The arrival marks a dramatic departure from past refugee policy and has sparked widespread debate over racial bias and humanitarian priorities.

The approximately 50 Afrikaners arrived Monday aboard a chartered flight at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, just weeks after Trump signed an executive order suspending all refugee admissions. Eighteen days after the initial suspension, he introduced a narrow exception for white South Africans, citing claims of “unjust racial discrimination.” The policy carve-out specifically named Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch colonial settlers who governed South Africa under apartheid from 1948 until its end in 1994.

Upon arrival, the new refugees were greeted by Trump administration officials and posed for cameras holding American flags. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau referred to the group as “quality seeds” who would “bloom” in American soil, a remark that quickly drew both praise and criticism. “We respect what you’ve had to deal with these last few years,” Landau said. “We are excited to welcome you here to our country where we think you will bloom.”

The policy shift was influenced by a 2024 South African law aimed at redistributing agricultural land, which remains concentrated in white ownership due to apartheid-era policies. Trump cited this legislation and alleged attacks on white farmers as justification for the exception. “Farmers are being killed,” he said Monday when asked why Afrikaners were prioritized over refugees from other regions. “They happen to be white but whether they’re white or Black makes no difference to me.”

South African officials, however, have rejected these claims, stating that there is no credible evidence of race-based attacks on white farmers. “The South Africa Police Services statistics on farm-related crimes do not support allegations of violent crime targeted at farmers generally or any particular race,” said the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. “There are sufficient structures available within South Africa to address concerns of discrimination. Even if there are allegations of discrimination, these do not meet the threshold of persecution required under refugee law.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller defended the move as part of a broader “relocation effort,” claiming the conditions faced by Afrikaners fit the original intent of the U.S. refugee program. Billionaire Elon Musk, himself a South African-born Trump ally, has also advocated for increased protections for white South Africans, referring to the situation as “white genocide” on his X platform.

Unlike most refugees admitted to the U.S., the Afrikaners were not vetted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the global body traditionally responsible for assessing refugee claims. This circumvention of international standards prompted outrage among humanitarian organizations and religious groups.

The Episcopal Church, a longtime partner in refugee resettlement through its Episcopal Migration Ministries program, publicly refused to assist in resettling the Afrikaners. In a letter, Presiding Bishop Rev. Sean W. Rowe condemned the decision to prioritize a small group of white refugees over thousands awaiting resettlement in dangerous conditions. “It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others,” Rowe wrote. “I am saddened and ashamed that many refugees denied entrance to the U.S. had served alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home.”

Rowe further accused the Trump administration of having “essentially shut down” the refugee program since January. “Jesus tells us to care for the poor and vulnerable as we would care for him, and we must follow that command,” he added.

Under the Biden administration, refugee admissions had seen a substantial increase. In the 2024 fiscal year, 100,034 refugees were admitted, up from 60,014 in 2023 and 25,465 in 2022. The largest group admitted in 2024 came from Africa (34,017), followed by 10,003 from the Near East and South Asia, 7,540 from Asia, 5,106 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 3,180 from Europe and Central Asia, according to official figures.

Human rights advocates say Trump’s new policy risks undoing years of progress. Bill Frelick, director of the refugee and migrants rights division at Human Rights Watch, warned the decision undermines the credibility of the refugee system. “It sends a message that unless you’re a member of a privileged group that the U.S. has a preference for, the door is closed to you entirely,” Frelick said. He noted that bypassing the U.N.’s vetting process for the South African group sets “a terrible example to other countries around the world.”