Afrikaners resettled in U.S. “do not qualify” for refugee status
South African officials has stated that the 49 Afrikaners who departed for the United States under US President Donald Trump’s refugee program do not qualify as refugees under either South African or international law.
The South African government, through its foreign ministry, has criticized the resettlement as “politically motivated” and designed to undermine the country’s constitutional democracy.
They argue that the claims of racial discrimination against Afrikaners, which form the basis of their refugee status in the U.S., are unfounded and do not meet the threshold for persecution under domestic or international refugee law.
The South African Department of International Relations has emphasized that Afrikaners remain among the most economically privileged groups in the country, pointing out the irony of granting them refugee status while vulnerable people from other parts of the world face deportation or denial of asylum in the U.S.
They further assert that South Africa’s land reform policies, particularly the Expropriation Act of 2024, do not involve forced seizures of white-owned land, contrary to claims made by Trump and his administration.
No land has been confiscated under this law, and the government maintains that it aims to address historical inequalities equitably.
However, the Trump administration justifies the resettlement by alleging that Afrikaners face “unjust racial discrimination,” citing the Expropriation Act and instances of violence, such as farm attacks, as evidence of persecution.
A State Department memo claims that the Afrikaners in question have experienced or witnessed “extreme violence with a racial nexus,” including home invasions and murders, some dating back up to 25 years. The U.S. has fast-tracked their applications, processing them in months compared to the typical 18-24 months for other refugees, a move criticized by South African officials and refugee advocates as bypassing established vetting procedures.