In a move stirring both global interest and intense political debate, the first group of Afrikaner refugees is set to leave South Africa tonight, bound for the United States under a controversial resettlement policy introduced by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The group of 49 individuals—families and individuals of Afrikaner descent—will depart via a special charter flight, with Dulles International Airport in Virginia listed as their likely port of arrival. Their relocation is part of an executive order signed by Trump in February, which offered refugee status to Afrikaners, citing “unjust racial discrimination” in post-apartheid South Africa.
Central to the executive order was the Expropriation Act of 2024, a highly divisive South African law enabling land redistribution without compensation. Trump’s order called the policy “a human rights crisis in the making,” sparking international debate and criticism from both U.S. and South African leaders.
U.S. officials, including a deputy secretary of state, are expected to greet the group upon arrival. Their resettlement will be facilitated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with housing and integration programs planned in states including Minnesota, Idaho, and Alabama.
While supporters of the policy argue it’s a humanitarian response to growing concerns over minority rights in South Africa, critics label it as a politically charged move designed to revive culture-war narratives in the U.S.
The flight was still awaiting final clearance as of late Thursday, but sources close to the process say the relocation is “virtually certain” to proceed tonight. If confirmed, this departure marks the beginning of a larger migration pipeline that could see thousands more Afrikaners apply for refugee status under the program.
As the geopolitical ramifications continue to unfold, both nations—and the world—will be watching closely.
