In a world where millions are displaced by war, famine and political violence, one of the fastest-growing refugee groups entering the United States is neither fleeing a battlefield nor escaping a collapsed government.
Instead, they are white South Africans.
Data from the State Department’s Bureau of Population shows that all of the refugees admitted to the country last month were Afrikaners, a white South African ethnic group descended from Dutch, French and German ancestry. What’s more is that the data reflects a trend dating back at least six months, where all refugees admitted were white.
We previously told you that the Trump administration launched an effort based on a long-running fringe claim about “white genocide” in South Africa last year. Since then, over 5,000 have been granted protected status, despite critics arguing the group doesn’t fit under the term “refugee.”
The refugee program was initially built to offer sanctuary to people fleeing war, persecution and political violence. But ever since Trump took office, his administration has dramatically expanded refugee admissions, mainly for white South Africans, raising the refugee ceiling by 10,000 people and bringing the annual cap to 17,500.
Administration officials say Afrikaners face discrimination and racially motivated violence in South Africa that warrants humanitarian protection. International experts, however, argue the opposite is true.
A spokesperson for South Africa’s foreign ministry told the New York Times, “The resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being ‘refugees’ is entirely politically motivated and designed to question South Africa’s constitutional democracy.”
The country has admitted a total of 6,665 white South Africans and only three Afghans back in November 2025. But that’s it. Compared to 2024 admissions– 100,060 refugees that year– the Trump administration has promised a tighter admissions process, which is a sharp departure from decades of policy prioritizing victims fleeing armed conflict, political repression and humanitarian crises.
President Donald Trump has repeated claims of a “white genocide,” specifically against white farmers in South Africa. However, the country’s own government, human rights groups and many researchers have said there is no evidence of a campaign targeting white citizens. Violent crime remains a serious problem in South Africa, but it affects people across racial groups.
Civil rights advocates, refugee organizations and many Black folks here at home have questioned why Trump has created an exception for white South Africans while closing doors to people fleeing some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts.
On the other hand, supporters of the program say that Afrikaners face unique threats, including concerns about land policies, crime and what they view as growing hostility toward the white minority population. Many of those arriving in the United States describe themselves as seeking safety and stability for their families.
