White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees


What happened
Trump administration officials Monday welcomed the first 59 white South Africans classified as refugees under an exception President Donald Trump made to his near-total ban on admitting fugitives from war and persecution. Trump's fast-tracked carveout for the Afrikaners, who arrived in Washington, D.C., on a U.S.-funded charter flight, drew outrage from refugee advocates and prompted the Episcopal Church to end its decades-old refugee resettlement partnership with the federal government.
Who said what
Trump said Monday he was admitting Afrikaners as refugees because of the "genocide that's taking place" in South Africa, where "white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated." That characterization, The Associated Press said, "has been strongly disputed by South Africa's government, experts and even the Afrikaner group AfriForum." Claiming white South Africans are persecuted is a "total absurdity," Afrikaner author Max du Preez told the BBC.
White South Africans, who make up about 7% of the country's population, "have remained by far the most privileged race since apartheid ended 30 years ago," Reuters said. They still own three-quarters of private land and "about 20 times the wealth of the Black majority," but claims of Black discrimination against Afrikaners have been "repeated so often in online chatrooms that it has become orthodoxy for the far right," echoed by Trump's "white South African–born ally" Elon Musk.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Relatively few" of the 2.7 million Afrikaners "have indicated they're keen to take Trump up on his offer of refuge," The Wall Street Journal said.
What next?
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday she was ending temporary protected status for Afghan refugees on July 12, claiming an "improved security situation" and "stabilizing economy" in Taliban-run Afghanistan. It is "painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment" over "brave people who worked alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home because of their service to our country," Episcopal Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Why are American conservatives clashing with Pope Leo?
Talking Points Comments on immigration and abortion draw backlash
-
9 haunted hotels where things definitely go bump in the night
The Week Recommends Don’t fear these spirited spots. Embrace them.
-
Saudi comedy fest exposes free speech schism in stand-up
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The decision by some of stand-up’s biggest names to attend a festival in a nation infamous for its censorship has the comedy world picking sides and settling old scores
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies