The first group of 49 white South Africans granted refugee status by the administration of US President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in the United States shortly.
They boarded a flight from Johannesburg on Sunday, which is scheduled to land in Washington, DC, later on Monday. From there, they will continue on to Texas.
Afrikaner author Max du Preez told that allegations of persecution against white South Africans were “utter nonsense” and “completely unfounded.” He further stated that most South Africans were “shocked” by the refugee initiative, suggesting that the move was driven more by “domestic political motivations” within the United States rather than any real conditions on the ground in South Africa.
Diplomatic relations between the United States and South Africa have been under strain for some time. President Trump previously instructed his administration to explore options to resettle Afrikaners — an ethnic group primarily descended from Dutch settlers — in the US.
In March, tensions escalated further when South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled after accusing President Trump of exploiting “white victimhood as a political dog whistle.” The Trump administration responded by accusing Mr Rasool of “race-baiting.”
Additionally, the US has criticized South Africa’s firm stance against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where Pretoria has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza — a charge the Israeli government vehemently denies.
This current group of white South African refugees, totalling 49 individuals, is expected to arrive in Washington DC on Monday before proceeding to Texas.
President Trump’s decision to accept Afrikaner refugees comes amid broader restrictions on immigration and asylum for individuals from many other countries. In February, Trump signed an executive order that claimed Afrikaners were suffering from “racial discrimination,” sparking outrage in Pretoria.
South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamoa responded to that order on Monday, stating unequivocally, “There is no persecution of white Afrikaner South Africans.” He added that local police reports directly contradict Trump’s claims.
The US has also accused the South African government of implementing policies to confiscate land from white farmers without compensation — a charge the South African authorities firmly deny, stating that no such land seizures have occurred.
President Trump has repeatedly cited what he describes as the “large-scale killing of farmers” in South Africa as a justification for his stance. One of his closest allies, South African-born businessman Elon Musk, has publicly echoed those concerns, alleging there is a “genocide of white people” in the country and criticising the South African government for implementing what he called “racist ownership laws.”
However, these allegations of a white genocide have been broadly debunked.
According to South African police data, 44 murders occurred on farms and small agricultural properties in 2024. Of those, eight victims were identified as farmers. South Africa does not disaggregate crime statistics by race, but most farmers are white, while the majority of farm workers are black.
