White Afrikaaner South Africans display in assist of U.S. President Donald Trump in entrance of the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 15, 2025.
Jerome Delay/AP
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Jerome Delay/AP
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A gaggle of 49 white Afrikaners who’ve been given refugee standing by the Trump administration departed South Africa Sunday evening on a constitution flight paid for by the U.S. authorities, and shall be arriving at Dulles airport on Monday.
The Afrikaners, descendants of primarily Dutch colonists, have been seen on the airport in Johannesburg with trolleys filled with suitcases, however declined to talk to the media. They’re anticipated to offer a press convention upon arrival in the USA., the place they are going to be greeted by U.S. officers.
One doc seen by NPR stated there could be meals and “gadgets for the kids” upon arrival. It stated the refugee companies workplace of the Catholic diocese of Virginia could be onsite to supply help. After the press convention the households will depart for his or her finish locations in a number of states together with Minnesota, Nevada, and Idaho.
The South Africans will now have a pathway to U.S. citizenship and be eligible for presidency advantages.
One other doc seen by NPR included detailed steerage for the South Africans arriving. American members of the family of Afrikaners granted refugee standing could be requested to assist them. Those that did not have household within the nation could be “positioned in a location that has an area group to offer you assist,” it stated.
“Your case supervisor will decide you up from the airport and take you to housing that they’ve organized for you. This housing could also be short-term (like a lodge) whereas an area group helps you determine extra long-term housing,” it stated.
The South Africans are additionally knowledgeable: “You might be anticipated to assist your self rapidly to find work. Adults are anticipated to just accept entry degree employment in fields like warehousing, manufacturing, and customer support. You’ll be able to work towards increased degree employment over time.”
Nonetheless, the doc acknowledged that “Any credentials from your private home nation might not routinely switch to the USA.” That final level shall be of curiosity to many Afrikaner candidates — a few of whom are farmers and have beforehand instructed NPR they hope to proceed farming within the U.S.
South Africans incredulous
The resettlement effort comes after President Trump signed an govt order in February claiming minority Afrikaners have been being unfairly handled in South Africa, and providing them attainable resettlement within the U.S. Trump additionally reduce off assist to South Africa, which has been in his crosshairs since he returned to workplace for its DEI insurance policies and assist of the Palestinians.
Trump additionally says the South African authorities is taking land from Afrikaners, however there isn’t a proof of this. The South African authorities did cross a land reform regulation earlier this yr, permitting in uncommon circumstances for expropriation with out compensation, however zero land has been seized. Actually, whereas whites in South Africa account for some 7 % of the inhabitants, they nonetheless personal about 70% of economic farmland.
The South African authorities has been shocked by Trump’s assaults, saying he has been taken in by disinformation. After studying from information reviews that the primary group of Afrikaners had been granted refugee standing and have been headed to the USA, President Ramaphosa’s spokesman slammed Washington.
“These folks will not be stopped from going, albeit beneath a false narrative,” the spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, instructed NPR. “There is not any authorized or any factual foundation for the manager order sanctioning this motion. Not one of the provisions of worldwide regulation on the definition of refugees are relevant on this case.”
“Disturbingly, one has to confess that our sovereignty as a rustic is being grossly undermined and violated by the USA,” Magwenya added.
And it is not solely the South African authorities that has expressed disagreement. Many South Africans — Black and white — bar a small rightwing minority, are incredulous. NPR spoke to extraordinary residents who have been involved race relations have been being set again, three many years after the tip of the racist system of apartheid — an Afrikaner coverage — when Nelson Mandela ushered in a multi-racial democracy.
Many South Africans have taken to social media to put up memes and comedic movies, casting doubt on claims that whites who depart for the U.S. are persecuted, joking they are going to miss their “privileged lives, home staff, and seaside holidays.”
However not all Afrikaners in South Africa are affluent. And — like folks throughout the racial spectrum — some have suffered from violent crime and assaults. It can possible be these tales that they inform on arrival at Dulles.
Refugee advocates within the U.S. have famous how uncommon it’s that the Afrikaners have been processed so rapidly — there have been about three months between Trump’s govt orders and the primary group’s departure for the US. Typically, purposes for refugee standing within the US can take years to course of.
A U.S. authorities worker, who was not approved to talk to the media, instructed NPR they thought-about what is occurring on this case “immigration fraud.”
The Afrikaners arrival comes after Trump successfully suspended the U.S. refugee admissions program in January.
“Throughout the nation, refugee resettlement companies have closed or reduce employees, and for refugees about to fly to the U.S., their journey authorizations have been cancelled, hundreds are actually caught ready and face rising hazard,” Kenn Speicher, who based NOVA Refugees, a assist community within the DC-region, instructed NPR.
