Washington DC [US], May 13 (ANI): A group of 59 white South Africans arrived in the United States on Monday after being granted refugee status by the Trump administration, marking the first such designation under the current administration, according to CNN. The group, which included children, landed at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia and was welcomed by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Troy Edgar.
The Trump administration has prioritized admitting Afrikaners as refugees due to alleged discrimination, while simultaneously suspending other refugee resettlement efforts, including those for individuals fleeing war and famine, CNN reported.
During a press conference on Monday, President Donald Trump defended his administration’s decision, describing the situation in South Africa as a “genocide” against white farmers, citing violence and land confiscation. Trump stated, “They are being killed, and we don’t want to see people be killed… It’s a genocide that’s taking place that you people don’t want to write about. Farmers are being killed; they happen to be white. Whether they’re white or black makes no difference to me… I just know that what’s happening is terrible.”
Trump also criticized the media for ignoring the issue, adding, “I have people who live in South Africa — they say it’s a terrible situation taking place. We have essentially extended citizenship to those people to escape from that violence and come here.”
However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa refuted Trump’s assertions, saying that the claims of genocide are unfounded. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum in Côte d’Ivoire, Ramaphosa remarked, “Those people who have fled are not being persecuted, they are not being hounded, they are not being treated badly. They are leaving ostensibly because they don’t want to embrace the changes that are taking place in our country in accordance with our constitution.”
Ramaphosa clarified that the individuals heading to the US do not meet the official criteria for refugee status. He stated that the narrative of persecution and violence against white farmers is misleading, emphasizing that South Africa is undergoing lawful changes in line with constitutional provisions.
The decision to grant refugee status to white South Africans has sparked debate, with critics accusing the Trump administration of selective refugee policies while suspending admission for other vulnerable groups. The move also underscores the polarized narratives surrounding land reform and racial dynamics in South Africa.
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