The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to resettle the first group of white South African refugees in the United States through its refugee program, according to three sources familiar with the plans. The move marks a controversial exception to Trump’s broader freeze on refugee admissions.
Roughly 50 Afrikaners white South Africans of mostly Dutch descent are expected to arrive as early as next week at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, two sources said. A press conference is reportedly being planned upon their arrival, before the group is dispersed to various U.S. destinations.
However, logistical issues have already caused a delay of at least one week, and sources noted the timeline could still change. As of Thursday, a landing permit for the chartered plane transporting the group had not yet been approved.
The U.S. State Department, which oversees refugee resettlement, did not immediately comment. NPR was the first to report on the timing of the planned arrivals.
Since taking office in 2017, Trump enacted strict immigration policies, including an indefinite suspension of the broader refugee resettlement program. His executive orders emphasized admitting only those who could “fully and appropriately assimilate.”
Yet in February of that year, Trump made an exception, calling for priority refugee status for white South Africans, citing what he described as “unjust racial discrimination” against them. This claim has been a recurring theme in far-right discourse, and was later echoed by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk.
Despite Trump’s claims, research from the Review of Political Economy indicates that white South African households still own 20 times more wealth than Black households.
White South Africans applying for refugee status have cited crime, land disputes, and perceived racial discrimination as key concerns. However, the South African government has criticized the U.S. move, saying it ignores the country’s complex history of colonialism and apartheid.
Many of the arriving Afrikaners are expected to settle in Minnesota, a Democratic-leaning state known for welcoming refugees from countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Others are reportedly planning to relocate to conservative states like Idaho and Alabama.
The rationale behind using a costly chartered flight instead of commercial travel remains unclear.
