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The United States has officially begun resettling White South African refugees following a decision by the US to expand its refugee program to include Afrikaners over alleged racial discrimination and property expropriation in South Africa under newly enacted land reform laws.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, South Africa has implemented a land reform policy through its Expropriation Act, which allows the government to seize land without compensation in specific cases to address what it says are “vast racial disparities” in land ownership caused by “colonialism and apartheid.” Following President Trump’s return to office, his administration has accused the South African government of using this law to carry out racially motivated seizures of property from White landowners, particularly Afrikaners, framing it as evidence of “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.” Prominent figures from South Africa, like Elon Musk, have backed this claim, arguing that White farmers are being unfairly targeted and that the government has failed to prevent violence against them. In response, South Africa has rejected these allegations, stating that the Expropriation Act is a lawful and necessary corrective to historical injustice, and that there is no evidence of systematic, race-based land confiscation or targeted violence against White farmers.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, the first group of White South African refugees—consisting of around 60 Afrikaners—departed from Johannesburg aboard a US State Department-chartered plane and arrived in Washington, DC, Monday morning. This group includes families, young couples, and the elderly, all granted refugee status under an expedited process initiated by a directive from President Trump.
Under this program, the incoming refugees will receive the full benefits typically afforded to individuals granted asylum or refugee status in the US. These include temporary housing assistance, a resettlement stipend, access to healthcare services, employment support, and legal assistance for applying for permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship. The speedy processing of their cases—completed in weeks or months rather than the usual 18–24 months—has sparked criticism and concern, especially as refugees from war-torn regions face longer delays.
This move comes after an executive order signed by President Trump in February, following a public dispute with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over land reform. Trump’s executive order paused all US foreign aid to South Africa and directed the State Department to fast-track refugee resettlement specifically for Afrikaners who, according to Trump, are victims of “unjust racial discrimination” and “racially discriminatory property confiscation.” Trump added that any South African farmer seeking to flee would be offered a “rapid pathway to U.S. citizenship.”
