A group of 49 self-identified Afrikaner refugees departed South Africa on Sunday night, May 11, 2025, under a contentious U.S. refugee program reinstated by President Donald Trump—marking the latest flashpoint in global immigration and race relations.
The group boarded a chartered Omni Air International flight from OR Tambo International Airport, with a scheduled stop in Dakar, Senegal, before arriving at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., on Monday morning.
These Afrikaners were granted refugee status under a Trump executive order signed in February 2025, which allows asylum for individuals citing racial or ethnic discrimination—specifically naming white South Africans as eligible under the revised criteria. The program has drawn praise from right-wing U.S. figures and criticism from both South African officials and international human rights observers.
The South African government denounced the move as “politically motivated,” stating that Afrikaners remain one of the most socioeconomically secure groups in the country. “There is no substantiated evidence of systematic persecution,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) stated, rejecting allegations of racial targeting and land expropriation without compensation.
Despite this, U.S. officials argue that Afrikaners face discrimination and violence, a position echoed by Trump allies, including tech mogul Elon Musk and former White House adviser Stephen Miller. Sources confirm that the 49 individuals were screened by South African authorities prior to departure to rule out criminal records.
Upon arrival in the U.S., the refugees will be resettled across various states with limited government assistance. However, the move has sparked backlash amid ongoing U.S. restrictions on refugee admissions from other regions, particularly the Middle East and broader Africa.
As the resettlement unfolds, the policy is expected to fuel further debate about the politicization of asylum, racial narratives in global migration, and the broader direction of American refugee policy in an election year.
