White South Africans Arrive in U.S. as Refugees Under Controversial Trump Carve-Out

A group of 59 white South Africans—mostly Afrikaners—arrived in the United States this week, granted refugee status under a special carve-out by the Trump administration. The arrivals mark a controversial shift in U.S. refugee policy, as most other refugee admissions have been halted from countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Myanmar.

U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, welcomed the group at Washington Dulles Airport. They cited “racially based violence” and “discriminatory land laws” in South Africa as justification for the exception, stating that these individuals can more easily assimilate into American society.

The Trump administration claims that the group faces persecution, including racially motivated property seizures. A February executive order specifically called out South Africa’s land expropriation law and halted U.S. aid to the country. South African officials have pushed back, calling the U.S. refugee designation “politically motivated” and denying the existence of systematic racial persecution against whites.

Critics argue the move prioritizes white refugees while thousands of vulnerable people—including those who aided U.S. military efforts in conflict zones—are left in danger. The Episcopal Church, historically a government resettlement partner, has declined to assist in resettling the Afrikaners, citing racial justice concerns.

Experts warn that such selective refugee admissions may inflame race relations both in South Africa and the U.S., with some noting that claims of “white genocide” have been widely disputed by data and human rights organizations.