South African Refugees Arrive in US Amid Controversial Political Move by Trump Administration, Human Rights Organisations Oppose
![Afrikaner refugees from South Africa arrive at Dulles International Airport on Monday, May 12, 2025, near the United States capital of Washington, DC [Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo]](https://liberties.aljazeera.com/media/2025/05/1747121671.webp)
Afrikaner refugees from South Africa arrive at Dulles International Airport on Monday, May 12, 2025, near the United States capital of Washington, DC [Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo]
On Monday, a group of 54 white South Africans, primarily Afrikaners, arrived in the United States as part of a refugee programme initiated by the Trump administration. The individuals were welcomed by US officials at the airport and held a press conference before heading to their final resettlement destinations across the country.
This move was widely viewed as a politically charged decision, marking the first time the Trump administration had aimed to bring white South Africans to the US through its refugee programme. It came at a time when the administration had been heavily restricting refugee admissions from other parts of the world, particularly those fleeing conflict-ridden regions.
The South African government strongly opposed the plan, labelling it politically motivated and accusing the Trump administration of failing to acknowledge the country’s complex history. South African officials argued that the decision undermined the country’s constitutional democracy and further inflamed racial tensions. Critics suggested the move was designed to create divisions and rally support among specific segments of the US electorate, particularly those sympathetic to Trump’s rhetoric on immigration and race.
While the US government justified the programme as a response to claims of violence against white farmers in South Africa, the decision sparked a broader debate about immigration, race, and the geopolitical motivations behind such actions. For many, it underscored the increasingly polarised nature of global politics and the use of refugee policies as a tool for political manoeuvring
Agencies.
- Most Viewed
- Most Popular