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Nearly 5,000 white Afrikaners have been resettled in the United States under a programme initiated by former President Donald Trump, sparking significant controversy.
The resettlement, which began in 2025, has raised concerns, especially since the programme was based on unfounded claims that the minority white Afrikaner community in South Africa faces persecution and even genocide, a notion strongly rejected by the South African government.
According to a document seen by AFP, 4,499 individuals from South Africa have been resettled in 48 US states between October 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, with only a few exceptions, including three Afghans.
These figures come despite the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration and the drastic reduction in refugee admissions, which dropped from over 100,000 annually during President Joe Biden’s tenure to just 7,500 for fiscal year 2026.
The programme, which Trump unveiled in May 2025, was portrayed as a response to alleged racial discrimination against the Afrikaner community, with claims of farm attacks and systemic exclusion from business opportunities.
However, these claims have been categorically denied by Pretoria, which claims that the high crime rate in the country disproportionately affects black South Africans. Moreover, the South African government points out that its economic empowerment policies are designed to address inequalities rooted in apartheid.
The first group of 50 Afrikaners arrived on a chartered flight on May 12, 2025, followed by others arriving via commercial flights. Despite growing tensions between the U.S. and South Africa, the program continued, with significant arrivals in February and March 2026, as over 1,300 individuals were resettled each month.
The situation has led to diplomatic clashes, especially after South Africa’s raid on a centre aimed at expediting the resettlement process, further straining relations between the two nations.
