Trump Administration Welcomes First Group of White South African Refugees Amid Controversy

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Trump Administration Welcomes First Group of White South African Refugees Amid Controversy

 

A chartered, US-funded flight carrying 59 white South Africans has landed in Washington, marking the first group of Afrikaners to be granted refugee status under a new initiative spearheaded by the Trump administration. This controversial policy has sparked criticism both in the United States and abroad, especially given the administration’s broader crackdown on global refugee admissions.

Trump is right: South Africa is committing a genocide against Whites pic.twitter.com/6X1yvalkO2

— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) May 12, 2025

 

The group, made up of families and individuals from South Africa’s Afrikaner minority, was greeted warmly by US officials at the airport on Monday. Some of the arrivals held small children and waved miniature American flags, with the terminal decorated in red, white, and blue balloons. Their arrival was notable not only for its symbolism but also for the speed at which their refugee applications were processed—an unusual move, considering that refugee vetting by the United States normally takes months, even years.

 

President Donald Trump defended the expedited process, stating that white farmers in South Africa were victims of targeted violence and discrimination. “Farmers are being killed, they happen to be white, but whether they're white or black makes no difference to me,” he said when asked about the policy. He described the situation in South Africa as a “genocide” and asserted that white farmers were particularly at risk.

 

However, the South African government has firmly denied any allegations of widespread persecution of white citizens. Officials insist that claims of racial discrimination do not meet the necessary threshold to be considered under international refugee law. “These claims are not consistent with the facts on the ground,” said a spokesperson for the South African government.

 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which typically oversees refugee vetting processes, confirmed it had no role in assessing this group’s eligibility for resettlement. That omission has drawn further scrutiny from immigrant rights advocates, who argue that the Trump administration’s selective application of refugee protections undermines the fairness of the system. “This initiative is profoundly unfair to the most vulnerable refugees—those fleeing war, famine, and political persecution,” said one rights group in response to the arrival.

 

Tensions between South Africa and the United States have worsened since Trump first directed his administration to begin resettling Afrikaners, an ethnic group descended largely from Dutch settlers. In March, South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled after accusing the Trump administration of using “white victimhood as a dog whistle.” The US responded by accusing Rasool of “race-baiting.”

 

The Trump administration has also clashed with South Africa over its domestic land reform policies. In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a controversial law allowing the government to seize privately owned land without compensation in some instances, provided it is considered “equitable and in the public interest.” While the South African government maintains this policy aims to redress historical injustices, the US has condemned it, alleging unlawful land seizures—a claim South Africa rejects.

 

Further straining relations, Washington has criticized Pretoria’s stance at the International Court of Justice, where South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians—an allegation Israel firmly denies.

 

Despite the controversy surrounding this new refugee initiative, President Trump remains steadfast in his decision, even as his administration continues to drastically limit refugee admissions from conflict zones. As this policy unfolds, it underscores the broader ideological and geopolitical divides shaping America’s immigration landscape under the Trump era.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC  2025-05-13

 

 

[baansgr]

Well done Trump, just a shame that citizens of their own country are forced to flee because of the governments rasist views

[impulse]

And the lefties are all up in arms...  The Episcopal Church even cancelled their 40 year contract with the gub'ment to help resettle immigrants, citing a moral opposition to resettling persecuted white folks.

 

Not to mention they showed up waving American flags (and they'll probably vote Red when they do get citizenship).  Oh, the horror.

 

[Hanaguma]

How shocking.

 

Refugees arrive. With their families. With job skills. Waving American flags in gratitude. Not a gang tattoo in sight.

 

Obviously they need to be sent back /s