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The US order said the US was reviewing messages that had already been submitted by applicants.
US President Donald Trump. Picture: Gallo Images
White South Africans and Afrikaners seeking to relocate to the US are now a step closer to realising their dream.
This is after the US State Department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security and other partners to implement US President Donald Trump’s executive order to resettle Afrikaners in the US.
Refugee settlement
The US Embassy in South Africa shared the update in a post on X on Tuesday.
“Consistent with President Trump’s executive order on addressing egregious actions of the Republic of South Africa, the US Department of State is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and implementing partners to consider eligibility for US refugee resettlement for disfavoured ethnic minority Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination.”
The US embassy also said “appropriate steps” would be taken to prioritise “humanitarian relief”.
“The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take appropriate steps, consistent with law, to prioritize humanitarian relief, including admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admissions Program, for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination. Such plan shall be submitted to the President through the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor.”
ALSO READ: Trump offers white South African farmers expedited US citizenship
Messages
It further said the US was reviewing messages that had already been submitted and would contact those who had done so for further information.
“Please note this programme is for consideration for US refugee resettlement.”
Trump order
The Citizen reported that Trump signed an executive order last month halting federal aid to South Africa after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act, which the US president said imposes “unjust racial discrimination” against white Afrikaner farmers.
“In shocking disregard of its citizens’ rights, the Republic of South Africa (South Africa) recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 (Act), to enable the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation,” Trump’s order reads.
ALSO READ: WATCH: AfriForum went to Washington to gossip about SA – Mufamadi
US citizenship
On Friday, Trump offered an expedited pathway to US citizenship for white South Africans, falsely claiming that the government was confiscating their land and calling their treatment in the country “terrible.”
According to Trump, “any farmer” who is “seeking to flee” South Africa “for reasons of safety” can now apply to become a US citizen – rather than a refugee.
“South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long-time farmers in the country. They are confiscating their land and farms, and much worse than that. A bad place to be right now, and we are stopping all federal funding.
“To go a step further, any farmer (with family!) from South Africa seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to citizenship. This process will begin immediately!” he wrote in a Friday morning post on Truth Social.
‘Diplomacy’
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, told The Citizen that South Africa will not “partake in counterproductive megaphone diplomacy.”
“We remain committed to building a mutually beneficial bilateral trade, political and diplomatic relationship with the United States. Obviously, it must be a relationship that is based on mutual respect and respect for our independence and sovereignty.”
Thanking Trump
Trump didn’t provide additional details about the immediate plan.
In February, about 1,500 Afrikaners, including a handful who had slept on the pavement outside the American Embassy in Pretoria, handed over a memorandum thanking Trump for his support.
A week later, Afrikaner lobby groups Solidarity and AfriForum travelled to the United States and handed over the “Washington Memorandum”, asking the US to provide humanitarian assistance for Afrikaner development.
ALSO READ: AfriForum, Solidarity meet with top Trump officials [VIDEO]
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