A second group of white Afrikaner South Africans arrived in the United States on Friday, continuing a quiet and controversial relocation program approved by President Donald Trump. Unlike the initial group that arrived in early May, this smaller contingent flew on a commercial airline from Johannesburg, avoiding public attention.
The migrants are among an estimated 8,000 Afrikaners expected to be fast-tracked for resettlement in the U.S. over the coming months. They claim they face persecution in South Africa, citing fears of crime and racial discrimination—claims the South African government strongly denies. Trump, citing what he called “unjust racial discrimination” and “land seizures,” granted the group expedited refugee status through an executive order signed in February. The move also froze U.S. aid to South Africa. Trump has publicly repeated unproven claims that Afrikaner farmers are being targeted in a “genocide.”
At the heart of the controversy is South Africa’s land reform policy, which allows for land expropriation without compensation in select cases. The policy, which has yet to be widely implemented, aims to address deep-rooted racial inequalities stemming from apartheid. Currently, over 70% of South Africa’s agricultural land is white-owned, despite the white population comprising only 7.2% of the national total. Crime is another factor cited by the migrants. While some Afrikaners point to farm attacks, police data indicates that only 44 of South Africa’s 26,232 murders last year occurred in farming communities, and just eight of those victims were farmers. Analysts say the vast majority of murder victims in South Africa are Black, and that the refugee claims are largely political.
The South African government has rejected Trump’s narrative, calling it inaccurate and harmful. President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed this position during a White House visit in May, emphasizing that land reform would be lawful and equitable. The decision to accept the Afrikaners while halting most other refugee admissions has sparked criticism from rights groups and international observers, who argue it reflects a racially biased immigration stance.
