JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — In a significant move, the U.S. government has officially granted refugee status to 54 Afrikaans South Africans, who are primarily white descendants of Dutch colonizers. These individuals are expected to arrive in the United States on Monday, May 12, according to three sources familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity due to their affiliations with the U.S. government and concerns over their careers.
On Thursday, U.S. authorities were working to arrange a charter flight to transport the South Africans to Dulles Airport, located near Washington, D.C. However, it remains uncertain whether they will be permitted to land there. Should landing at Dulles not be feasible, arrangements will be made for them to travel on commercial flights instead. NPR reviewed an email confirming these plans, which stated that upon their arrival, the individuals would be directed to various destinations across the United States.
This group represents the first cohort of Afrikaners to be accepted into the U.S. following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February, which offered an opportunity for their potential resettlement. The executive order emphasized that the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security would prioritize humanitarian relief for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination. This order, signed on February 7, also included measures to cut aid to South Africa.
According to sources, a press conference is scheduled for the group’s arrival at Dulles Airport, with high-ranking officials from the Departments of State and Homeland Security expected to attend. States that have agreed to resettle the South Africans include Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, West Virginia, California, Idaho, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, and New York. Some individuals granted refugee status reportedly have family connections in the U.S.
It is noteworthy that the welcoming of refugees at the airport by U.S. dignitaries is an unusual practice, and the expedited process of interviewing these individuals in South Africa and granting them refugee status has raised eyebrows. The Afrikaners have been awarded P1 refugee status, a designation given to individual cases referred to the program due to their specific circumstances and evident need for resettlement.
With this status, the South Africans now have a clear pathway to U.S. citizenship and access to government benefits. However, a source indicated that the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) had declined involvement in the resettlement process, and a spokesperson for the IOM did not respond to requests for comment.
Prominent figures, including President Trump, his South African-born adviser Elon Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have publicly expressed concerns regarding the alleged persecution faced by Afrikaners—many of whom are farmers—in South Africa. Trump has accused the South African government of committing egregious acts, including land confiscation, claiming that these actions are indicative of a broader pattern of discrimination.
In response, the South African government has introduced a new land reform bill earlier this year, although no land has been seized to date. Officials assert that a clause allowing for expropriation without compensation will only be invoked under exceptional circumstances. Additionally, South Africa's Department of International Relations has contested Trump's claims regarding the discrimination of Afrikaners.
