Afrikaner ‘refugees’ due in US next week, reports New York Times
In February, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order that called for the US to resettle Afrikaner ‘refugees’
09 May 2025 - 09:17
byHarshita Meenaktshi
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Demonstrators hold placards in support of US President Donald Trump's stance against what he calls racist laws, land expropriation, and farm attacks, outside the American Embassy in Pretoria on February 15 2025. Picture: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
The US is working to bring the first group of white South Africans it has classified as “refugees” to the country early next week, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing officials briefed on the plans and documents obtained by the newspaper.
US President Donald Trump’s administration plans to send officials to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia for an event marking the arrival of the Afrikaner South Africans, the Times said, citing a memo from the US department of health and human services.
The White House and the department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The administration initially planned to welcome the South Africans on Monday, but some officials familiar with the matter cautioned that the plans remained in flux, subject to flight logistics and processing of the group, the report added.
Trump issued a February 7 executive order that called for the US to resettle Afrikaner “refugees”. It said Afrikaners were “victims of unjust racial discrimination”.
In February, the department of international relations and co-operation said Trump’s executive order “lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognise SA’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid”.
The order came after Trump had suspended all US refugee admissions, citing security and cost concerns. Thousands of Afghans, Democratic Republic of Congo nationals and others fleeing conflict were blocked after they had been vetted and cleared.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Afrikaner ‘refugees’ due in US next week, reports New York Times
In February, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order that called for the US to resettle Afrikaner ‘refugees’
The US is working to bring the first group of white South Africans it has classified as “refugees” to the country early next week, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing officials briefed on the plans and documents obtained by the newspaper.
US President Donald Trump’s administration plans to send officials to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia for an event marking the arrival of the Afrikaner South Africans, the Times said, citing a memo from the US department of health and human services.
The White House and the department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The administration initially planned to welcome the South Africans on Monday, but some officials familiar with the matter cautioned that the plans remained in flux, subject to flight logistics and processing of the group, the report added.
Trump issued a February 7 executive order that called for the US to resettle Afrikaner “refugees”. It said Afrikaners were “victims of unjust racial discrimination”.
In February, the department of international relations and co-operation said Trump’s executive order “lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognise SA’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid”.
The order came after Trump had suspended all US refugee admissions, citing security and cost concerns. Thousands of Afghans, Democratic Republic of Congo nationals and others fleeing conflict were blocked after they had been vetted and cleared.
Reuters
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