Trump Administration Plans To Admit Up To 10,000 More White South African Refugees

The Trump administration plans to admit up to 10,000 more white South African refugees into the United States, and the State Department told Congress it will admit up to 17,500 Afrikaners through the fiscal year that ends in September.

“Trump administration plans to admit more white South Africans as refugees this year The Trump administration plans to admit up to 10,000 more white South African refugees into the United States, citing discrimination against Afrikaners WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration plans to admit up to 10,000 more white South African refugees into the United States in the coming months, arguing that their status as Afrikaners has left them open to discrimination and persecution at home”

ABC News

ABC News reported that the administration initially indicated it would only admit up to 7,500, but said Monday that “unforeseen developments in South Africa created an emergency refugee situation.”

ABC News

The Daily Wire described individual cases in which refugees were approved to leave South Africa and come to the United States as refugees more than 200 days ago, only for tickets to be cancelled shortly before departure.

In one account, Andre said, “Literally three days before departure, they cancelled the tickets and said don’t make any drastic changes.”

The State Department said the administration’s case rests on discrimination and persecution claims, warning that “This escalating hostility heightens the risks to Afrikaners in South Africa.”

ABC News also reported that the South African government has said the Trump administration’s claims are baseless, while President Cyril Ramaphosa told a May 2025 meeting “we are completely opposed to” the behavior Trump referenced.

BBC

The Daily Wire tied the policy shift to an executive order in February 2025 that would allow Afrikaners, “who are victims of unjust racial discrimination,” into the United States as refugees and prioritize their admissions.

In the same Daily Wire account, Andre said CWS left him without answers, describing the group’s role as “horrific,” adding “they do not respond to any emails … you can’t call them, you can’t ask for any information.”

ABC News said the estimated cost for resettling the additional 10,000 refugees is about $100 million, and it reported that administration officials are slated to meet with Congress for consultation later this week.

The Daily Wire reported that Trump cut total annual refugee admissions from 125,000 to 7,500, and it said the overseas medical exams are valid for only six months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In Andre’s account, he was set to be resettled in Fort Worth, Texas, and he said medical evaluations expired and forced some applicants to redo testing and vaccinations.

RFI reported that in 2022 nearly 15,000 returned to South Africa, and it quoted Naomi Saphire saying, “Terrible things are happening in South Africa,” while also describing places “where you don't have to fear for your life.”