The recent arrival of 59 Afrikaner refugees from South Africa to the United States has ignited a global debate over the Trump administration’s refugee policies and the broader treatment of displaced populations worldwide.

Afrikaners Granted Refugee Status

On May 12, 2025, a chartered flight brought 59 Afrikaners—white South Africans of primarily Dutch descent—to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. This marked the first group admitted under President Donald Trump’s new refugee initiative, known as “Mission South Africa,” which fast-tracks asylum for Afrikaners based on claims of racial discrimination and land expropriation without compensation.

The Trump administration has justified the program by alleging that white South African farmers are victims of a “genocide,” citing violent attacks and land reform policies as evidence. However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other officials have strongly refuted these claims, asserting that Afrikaners remain among the most economically privileged groups in the country and that no land has been seized under the new laws.