Nearly 70,000 Afrikaners are seeking refuge in the United States as President Trump’s executive order offering them asylum status sparks diplomatic tensions with South Africa and reignites racial divides in the post-apartheid nation.
Quick Takes
- President Trump issued an executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners, citing “unjust racial discrimination” in South Africa.
- Close to 70,000 South Africans, primarily Afrikaners aged 25-45, have registered interest in the U.S. resettlement program.
- Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa have escalated, with the U.S. expelling South Africa’s ambassador.
- The Orania Movement, an Afrikaner enclave, is seeking U.S. recognition for autonomy rather than refugee status.
- South African President Ramaphosa opposes these movements, emphasizing they don’t represent the majority’s desire for national unity.
Trump’s Executive Order Creates Diplomatic Rift
President Donald Trump’s executive order allowing Afrikaners to be admitted to the United States as refugees has strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. The order describes the white South African minority as “victims of unjust racial discrimination,” a characterization that South African officials strongly dispute. The executive order established “Mission South Africa,” specifically designed to process and facilitate Afrikaner resettlement in America, marking an unprecedented diplomatic approach toward the democratic nation.
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (Saccusa) has been instrumental in compiling and forwarding a list of interested applicants to the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria. According to Saccusa, this represents a “pivotal step” in addressing concerns of the Afrikaner community. The Embassy has begun scheduling interviews with some applicants as part of the initiative, confirming receipt of the interest list containing nearly 70,000 names.
How could we be expected to go to South Africa for the very important G20 Meeting when Land Confiscation and Genocide is the primary topic of conversation? They are taking the land of white Farmers, and then killing them and their families. The Media refuses to report on this.… pic.twitter.com/GXiVOI5vZD
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 12, 2025
Land Reform Fuels Refugee Claims
Tensions escalated when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed legislation allowing land seizure without compensation when deemed in the public interest. This development has stirred anxieties among white landowners, who still own a share of privately held land despite apartheid ending over three decades ago. The Trump administration has claimed the policy targets white farmers specifically, though South African officials maintain no land has been seized under this provision.
President Ramaphosa has challenged Trump’s characterization, stating the legislation is designed to ensure “public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution.” The diplomatic spat worsened when Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled South Africa’s ambassador a “race-baiting politician” before expelling him. Trump further escalated tensions by cutting U.S. aid to South Africa, citing concerns about the treatment of the white minority.
“Help Us Here” – The Orania Alternative
Not all Afrikaners are seeking to leave South Africa. The Orania Movement, a self-governing Afrikaner settlement in Northern Cape province, has taken a different approach. Rather than accepting refugee status, they are requesting U.S. recognition to become autonomous within South Africa. Joost Strydom, leader of the movement, views Trump’s actions as potential support for their secessionist goals rather than an evacuation plan.
Similarly, the Cape Independence Advocacy Group is lobbying Washington for a referendum on the secession of the Western Cape province. South African government spokesman Vincent Magwenya has dismissed these movements, stating, “These groups do not represent the majority of South Africans, whether it’s the Orania movement or it’s AfriForum or it’s this Cape Independence Advocacy.” President Ramaphosa has consistently opposed secessionist movements, emphasizing that they contradict the national vision of unity established under Nelson Mandela’s concept of a “rainbow nation.”
Divided Responses Among South Africans
The African National Congress has criticized the U.S. refugee program, with its secretary-general Fikile Mbalula calling it “madness to build refugee centers in a peaceful country like South Africa.” The demographics of those registering interest reveal most have Afrikaner or English names and are aged 25-45 with two to three dependents, according to Saccusa data. Many cite economic opportunities and security concerns rather than explicit persecution as motivations for relocation.
According to a State Department memo sent from the embassy in Pretoria, officials will “propose long-term solutions, to ensure the successful implementation of the president’s vision for the dignified resettlement of eligible Afrikaner applicants.” However, some South Africans have publicly rejected the refugee offer, maintaining their commitment to building their future in South Africa despite current challenges. The situation continues to evolve as interviews progress and both governments navigate the diplomatic complexities.
Sources:
South Africa reels over Trump’s offer of refugee status to white Afrikaners
Almost 70,000 South Africans interested in US asylum
‘Mission South Africa’: How Trump Is Offering White Afrikaners Refugee Status
