CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The Trump administration has facilitated the relocation of a small group of white South Africans to the United States, designating them as refugees on Monday. This move marks the initial phase of a broader effort to assist members of the minority Afrikaner community who claim to be facing persecution by the Black-led government due to their race.
The 49 South Africans had their applications expedited by the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s announcement of the relocation initiative in February. Trump asserted on Monday that white Afrikaner farmers are confronted with a “genocide” in their homeland, an accusation vehemently refuted by the South African government.
Taking a firm stance against migration, the Trump administration has suspended refugee programs and suspended arrivals from various regions, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and most nations in sub-Saharan Africa. The prioritization of white South Africans has sparked inquiries from refugee organizations.
Contrary to the U.S. claims of persecution, the South African government maintains that allegations against Afrikaners are baseless and warped. It underlines that Afrikaners are among the country’s affluent and prosperous segments, countering the notion of their marginalization.
Afrikaners trace their roots back to Dutch and French colonizers who arrived in South Africa in the 17th century. Despite comprising a minority within the Black-majority population, Afrikaners play a significant role in South Africa’s socio-economic fabric. However, the U.S. has highlighted isolated incidents of violence against white people, particularly in rural areas, as evidence of targeted persecution.
While acknowledging the existence of farm attacks, the South African government denies the racial motivation behind them. It contends that farm attacks are a component of the country’s broader crime issues and are not indicative of systematic targeting based on race.
In light of conflicting narratives between the U.S. and South Africa, the debate over the alleged persecution of white South Africans continues to be a point of contention.
Many rural white communities in South Africa have long expressed fear of violence, particularly in home invasions and robberies, which they perceive as especially brutal. President Trump stated that citizenship has been extended to individuals seeking to escape such violence and come to the United States.
The Trump administration has criticized South Africa’s affirmative action policies as being discriminatory against whites and has falsely claimed that white South Africans are having their land taken away under a new expropriation law. While no land has been expropriated, there are concerns among Afrikaners, who form many rural communities, that their land may be targeted.
South Africa has laws in place to promote employment opportunities for Black individuals, which have been criticized by many white South Africans and white-led political parties as racist and counter-productive. Some Afrikaner groups argue that these laws are a form of reverse racism, intended to limit their opportunities in South Africa as a form of punishment for their role in apartheid.
It is important to note that Afrikaners are not the only racial minority in South Africa, as there are also nearly 2 million white individuals with British or other heritage. While the Trump administration initially focused on Afrikaners, new guidelines now include applicants of Afrikaner ethnicity or members of other racial minorities in South Africa.
The number of South Africans who have applied for or received refugee status in the United States is unclear. However, the U.S. State Department has expressed a willingness to welcome more Afrikaners as refugees in the coming months.
Note: Associated Press writers Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg contributed to this report. For more news on South Africa, visit https://apnews.com/hub/south-africa.
