Trump’s refugee policy for white South Africans: Who qualifies and what’s next?

Is the United States asylum door open to people other than ethnic Afrikaners who consider themselves oppressed by the ANC government?

Mixed messages from US representatives in South Africa have only added to the confusion.

In his original executive order, US President Donald Trump referred to ethnic Afrikaners as being welcomed as refugees in a state-facilitated programme.

The US Mission in South Africa said: “US department of state is coordinating with the department of homeland security to promote and prioritise humanitarian relief, including consideration of eligibility for admission and resettlement to the United States for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination.”

Confusion

However, a fact sheet issued this week by the US embassy and consulates in South Africa did not limit the executive order’s ramifications to ethnic Afrikaners.

“As encapsulated in its recent land confiscation Act to seize disfavoured citizens’ property without compensation, the government of South Africa blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority descendants of settler groups,” the sheet says.

“As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavoured minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country.

“The United States will establish a plan to resettle disfavoured minorities in South Africa discriminated against because of their race as refugees.”

A United States embassy official said the department of state and department of homeland security “are working out implementation details and will submit a plan to the president for prioritising humanitarian relief, including resettlement through the Usrap [United States refugee admissions programme], for disfavoured ethnic minority Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination.”

Sent questions later for clarification about what exactly was meant by “disfavoured minorities”, there was no response.

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Growing interest

After Trump’s announcement, a deluge of over 20 000 queries crashed the e-mail server of the South African Chamber of Commerce (SACC) in the United States.

AFP quoted the chamber’s head Neil Diamond as saying: “Given the scale of interest, SACC estimates that this figure could represent over 50 000 individuals looking to leave South Africa and seek resettlement in the United States.”

Maggie Venter, who assists South Africans to get jobs on farms in America, helps about five people a month to apply to work in the US.

Venter said applicants needed a passport and to sign with an agent to ensure their CVs are sent directly to farmers in the US.

“As soon as you find work, an offer is sent to your profile at the agents with whom the farmer works. Once you have accepted the offer, your visa process begins,” she said.

“As soon as your visa application is completed, you go to the US embassy for your interview and if your interview is successful your visa is approved. Once you have your visa, your flights are arranged. I have helped between 40 and 50 people a year over the past three years.”

Venter said her applications have not increased dramatically since America announced its granting South Africans refugee status.

“I think everyone is still waiting to get clarity on what it entailed before jumping ship,” she said.

‘It’s good money’

Theunis Vogel, from Hammanskraal, said despite being 72 years old, he would give anything to work on a farm in America.

“They work nine months a year and earn up to $15 (about R270) to $30 an hour and up to R80 000 per month,” he added.

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Vogel said he was already enquiring about the requirements to apply to work in America.

“It’s good money, and they give you accommodation and food,” he said.

Vogel said he knows about six farmers who work in America and were very happy.

The Willem Petzer Civil Rights Movement plans to gather today at the US embassy to hand over a memorandum listing discriminatory laws and other legislative and executive measures excluding whites from meaningful participation in South Africa’s economy.

According to the memorandum, there was currently at least 118 race-based laws in South Africa and there has been at least 2 297 murders and at least 6 531 attacks recorded by TLU SA between 1990 to 2024.

We’re staying

But TLUSA chair Bennie van Zyl said many farmers were not going anywhere.

“For the majority of us, we are building and trying to stabilise SA and that is our focus. TLU’s task in SA is to make our case and make the policy environment so favourable that people can farm to the fullest,” he said.

Van Zyl said many people have been laid off due to their race and cadre deployment and many students who had the qualifications to study further were rejected due to quotas.

“We are careful not to reject this hand from Trump, we should thank America and request to discuss the matter properly to see exactly what it entails,” he said.

“TLUSA is here to stay but I cannot decide on behalf of someone who has no hope or no future or opportunity left in this country.”

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